Love Wins at the Expense of the Tenth Amendment

I started blogging six years ago. Barack Obama had been in office for about six months and was starting to push his health care law. I viewed it as something egregious and I had to starting writing about it. Unfortunately, I was never really consistent and I haven't written anything in a while. In fact, it's been almost three years since I've written anything in this blog. Until now, where something egregious is occurring: the Supreme Court's ruling on same-sex marriages.

      My problem is not gays marrying. There are churches that will perform same-sex wedding ceremonies and employers that will provide benefits for same-sex couples. Now you won't get a license, but if you find a combination of the two and get married, I won’t stop you, nor will I think you are evil. I do, however, prefer the traditional definition of marriage, not because of religious reasons, but because of its inherent support of children. A man and a woman are biologically required to produce a child, and every child deserves a mother and father. A married man and women best support these principles.

      The problem I have with this is we now have a Supreme Court that is now writing laws. There is nothing in the constitution that requires the redefinition of marriage. The fourteenth amendment, the basis for the Court's ruling, is not even about marriage. The Constitution is silent on what marriage is, but throughout history is has been known as a fundamental right defined as a union between a man and a women, and it is perfectly legal for individual states to define it in law as such. This definition should be left up to the individual state, its people, and their elected representatives. It is not lawful for the Supreme Court to redefine marriage for everyone else.

The Court's ruling apparently only applies to civil marriages, so it would still be unlawful to force any church to perform a same-sex marriage. For now. It is only a matter of time before a church is sued on the basis of discrimination.I shudder to think about this case going up before the activists on the Supreme Court and they decide to redefine religious liberty.

While everyone celebrated and said, "love wins," the more tragic truth is that the Constitution lost, since the Supreme Court is changing it as they see fit. It's sad to see that most people cannot see this- they are blinded by the urge to do good for their fellow man and the reward that follows. The claim that anyone can marry regardless of their sexual orientation may inspire people and let you think that the country is now a wonderful place, but beware: the judicial activism that accompanies it will have a long-term effect on your liberty.

Anyway, don't mind me, I'm just rambling.

So, the Individual Mandate IS a Tax

So despite all the efforts from those on the Left that did their very best to avoid referring to the individual mandate in the Obamacare law as a tax, it turns out that it will have to be called just that.  In what probably was the strangest turn of events in recent memory, it was Chief Justice John Roberts (the so-called conservative G.W. Bush appointee) that sided with the liberal majority that voted to uphold the mandate as constitutional.  The twist is the mandate is unconstitutional under the Commerce Clause and the Necessary and Proper Clause, but the mandate could be constitutional under Congress' taxing authority.  That's right.  Because the federal government can levy taxes on its citizens, it can require someone to pay a tax for not purchasing health insurance.  So wait, the government can't force anyone to purchase health insurance but they can force you to pay a tax for not buying it?

Now the Democrats face a dilemma.  After so much time and energy was spent arguing against calling the mandate a tax, they will have to refer to it as a tax or be forced to admit that it is indeed unconstitutional.  Also, supporters of the law will celebrate the Supreme Court's ruling. "They got it right!," they will say. But while there are numerous new taxes as a part of the law, the mandate itself was never intended as or written to be a tax.  So while they shout "They got it right!," deep down inside they will sheepishly say, "They got it wrong," because at the end of the day, the Supreme Court misinterpreted the intent of the mandate.

This law is still all bad.  The individual mandate will join the lengthy list of new taxes in Obamacare that will affect the middle class.  It is a disaster for business owners.  Is it not possible to think that a small business owner might just elect to pay the tax (or penalty) rather than provide the mandatory coverage that might just bankrupt him?  Or how about about a business owner letting one or two employees go to remain under the maximum number of employees a business can have before being required to provide coverage?  These are real possibilities.  Not to mention that the administration now admits that it will be impractical for businesses to continue provide existing coverage to their employees after 2013.  None of this matters, however.  What is really important is that finally, everyone will have health insurance.  Oh, except for the 26 million Americans that will still be without coverage.

So now what we have is almost Universal health care coverage that will require everyone to buy health insurance or pay a tax.  Who wants this?  A recent poll by the Kaiser Family Foundation indicated that 70% of Americans thought the individual mandate was a bad idea.  I don't think that calling it a "tax" will change their minds.

Anyway, don't mind me, I'm just rambling.

Happy Birthday, America!

Two hundred and thirty-five years ago, our Founding Fathers took a huge risk. When those delegates from the original 13 colonies gathered in Philadelphia for the Second Continental Congress and decided that complete independence from the British Crown was the only option, they were risking not only their freedoms, but their lives as well. Once those men signed the Declaration of Independence, they became traitors. They would all be hanged if they were caught.

Those great men were extremely bold in their decision- never before had a nation established that the strength and power of its government was derived from its citizens and not from its leaders. The idea that all men were created equal, endowed by their creator, with certain inalienable rights, among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness, was indeed foreign at the time. And although they weren't fully ready to implement this ideal with regard to slavery, they started a movement that is fully realized in the freedoms we enjoy today.

Ours is the greatest of nations, and we have those brave men that gathered in early July 1776 to thank. If it wasn't for their courage and forethought, there is no telling what our world would look like today. God bless our great nation!

Blessed is the nation whose God is the LORD, the people he chose for His inheritance. (Psalm 33:12)

It's time for an apology

From our president? Well yes, but where would I start? No, my friends, the apology must come from me to my readers. You see, I haven't written a new blog post since March 10, 2010. So for the last year and three months, I haven't commented on the president, Congress, or anything remotely related. Trust me, I've had a comment or two on just about everything that's happened- I just haven't written them down. Shame on me, I am truly sorry.

Now that the apology is out of the way, let's get back to business. My last post was about the recently passed health care reform bill. It's now law and it has gotten increasingly unpopular since Mr. Obama claimed to all of us, "Health care reform is the law of the land, all across America!" Former House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was truly correct when she told us, "We have to pass the bill to find out what is in it." She just failed to mention that it would be all crap.

Since last March, there have been several lawsuits against the government regarding the unconstitutionality of forcing a citizen to purchase something, and the administration cannot agree if they are well within their rights because they are laying a new tax (which the president said he wouldn't do) or because of what is said in the Commerce Clause of the U.S. Constitution. Needless to say, this will end up in the U.S. Supreme Court.

More recently we have learned that Obamacare will potentially unload 24.7 million additional people into Medicaid. Specifically couples entering early retirement that make $64,000 would qualify for benefits. What?? I realize that income level is no where near wealthy but a couple making that much money certainly doesn't need benefits from a program that was created to provide health benefits to impoverished individuals. Medicaid is already broke- why are we expanding it?

Did I miss something? Our country already owes a little over $61 trillion in unfunded liabilities. That's trillion with a "T!" When you start throwing that number around (and our friends in government do that regularly as if it means nothing) our minds go numb. I don't even know that number means. You can win a million dollars, the worlds richest people are billionaires, but a trillion doesn't mean that much to us because there is no mainstream application for it. Think about it this way: one trillion seconds ago, it was 29,700 B.C. How about this: it would take you anywhere from 31,000 to 542,241 years (depend how long it takes) to count to a trillion. And that's just one. Allow me to sum this up- our country cannot afford Obamacare, we always knew that. Now, it's just about impossible.

This was the president's so-called "greatest achievement," but it will be an economy killer. In other words, there is no way he can run for reelection on this thing. Just look at his record: Obamacare, is a mess no matter how you look at it; a new START treaty, which forces the U.S. to reduce its nuclear arsenal by a third without modernization while allowing Russia to increase its arsenal; an overbearing expansion of government in the way of a financial reform bill (think permanent TARP); a failed Stimus; increased deficit spending and debt; and 9% unemployment.

This guy is getting desperate. In his mind the most important thing is to be reelected. He goes around the country for fundraiser after fundraiser (in between rounds of golf, of course), touts false claims about job creation and economic growth, and tries so hard to convince everyone that he's doing a great job. Truth is, if he really was doing a good job and the economy really was growing, we all would know about it and he wouldn't have to say anything.

There is no way that this guy can get reelected. A chimpanzee, my cat Luke, or any single-cell organism would do a better job as president. The problem is, the Republicans can screw this up. There are a couple of good candidates, but for the most part, the field of nominees are unimpressive and I fear that the Republican party will nominate a stooge, and Obama will stroll to victory. I suppose next time I'll share my thoughts on the current Republican field, but for now I'll just criticize the current president. It's just too easy.

Anyway, don't mind me, I'm just rambling.

And so it begins...

The title of this latest blog could mean many things. But for me today, it means the start of the government takeover of the best health care system in the world. Now I understand most of the most heinous aspects of the bill don't start for a while, but it's the law now, and that's the hard part.

Some provisions aren't that bad, like preventing insurance companies from denying people their coverage based on pre-existing conditions. Except for children. Somehow, insurance companies can still deny children based on those pre-existing conditions. I can hear a collective "oops" from the Democrats in Washington, D.C. Not to worry. I'm sure the president will issue an executive order that will fix everything.

By the way, the fact that the president issued an executive order to prevent any federal funds from covering abortions is a joke. You see, Bart Stupak & Friends were pledging to vote "No" because they knew that the language in the Senate bill wasn't strong enough to prevent federal monies from funding abortion. Federal subsidies were going to go to private insurance plans that covered abortions. The private and federal funds are supposed to be kept separate from each other, most likely by the same government accountants that made it so that I won't get a check from Social Security when I retire.

But Obama fixed everything when he issued his executive order, right? Not so fast. It doesn't take a constitutional scholar to remind us that executive orders don't trump federal statutes. If you think they do, than you concede that the president can make laws. Again, with any basic knowledge of the constitution, you know that only congress can make laws (and amendments to them). The president can only choose to sign them into law or reject them. He cannot change them! So the executive order was nothing more than a political ploy to get votes.

The Dems in congress did what ever it took to get votes. In the Senate, we had the Cornhusker Kickback and the Louisiana Purchase. In the House, Dennis Kucinich was invited aboard Air Force One for a "friendly" meeting with the president and Bart Stupak was given a significant grant for three airports in his district 2 days before the House vote. Both members changed their vote from "No" to "Yes" after their bribes. (Maybe that's why Stupak changed his vote; it's better for him politically to hide behind the president's executive order rather than a blatant bribe.) There were many other incidents of arm twisting that guaranteed that Pelosi would have the necessary votes to pass health care. All this was done despite numerous polls that told us the majority of the American people didn't want Obama's health care reform bill.

Now, unless you've only watched CNN and read the NY Times, you are aware of these and other injustices involved in the passage of Obama's health care reform. Here are the top 5 of these that get my blood boiling:

1. This law lays additional taxes on companies. Those companies will either cut wages or lay off workers and they certainly won't hire more workers. This will ensure that our economic "recovery" will be a jobless recovery, which isn't a recovery at all.



2. This law provides for federal funding of abortion. Federal subsidies will go towards both private and government insurance plans and as I said before, how can we be sure that the money will be kept separate. Also, the bill provides funds to go to certain health centers, one of which is Planned Parenthood, and if you don't know about them, they love elective abortions.



3. This law caps flexible spending accounts (FSA) at $2,500. Let me explain how this isn't good. My wife is diabetic, and we spend well over that amount on her diabetes supplies. Once our FSA is capped we will end up spending more in taxable income. Because of this, our adjustable gross income will increase, and we will pay more in income taxes. And here I am thinking that I would be safe from tax increases.



4. This law affects all Americans, except those that choose to exempt themselves from the very legislation they championed as "historic" and forced down our throats despite the American people shouting at the top of their lungs, "WE DON'T WANT IT!" That's right, the Obama administration and the Congressional leadership and their staff don't have to participate. How convenient for them. But they know what's best for us, right?



5. This law mandates that every American have health insurance. If you don't have have it, you must by it. If you don't you face being fined by the IRS. Wait a second, since when in this country are we forced to buy something or face a fine? What's next, grocery store reform? All grocery stores in the country will soon need to be government approved and we will be required to purchase items from a government shopping list or be fined.

Be sure to check out "20 Ways ObamaCare Will Take Away our Freedoms," an article from Investors.com. For every loss of freedom, the author cites a particular section of the bill. It's real stuff, folks.

Because of all this, I support the attorneys general from 8 states challenging the constitutionality of this law and I support the Republicans efforts to repeal and replace this bill. It was NEVER about health care reform. It was and is about growing the power of the government over the people, crushing the entrepreneurial spirit of this country and creating a cradle-to-grave society where the American people have to depend on the government. That is what they want- NOT true health care reform.

Anyway, don't mind me, I'm just rambling.

Happy New Year! (My opinion of the president hasn't changed)

I just realized my last blog was written October 9th. I'm sorry everyone, I just got away from blogging for a while. It certainly wasn't intentional- to those that missed my ramblings, I apologize.

Okay, to begin this 2010 year, I'd like to discuss one of my favorite current topics: heath care.

Since we've last met, both chambers of Congress passed their respective versions of the health care bill, and now they are meeting to hammer out the details of what is to be a reconciled bill. And by "they" I mean a select few. And by "select few" I mean the Democratic leadership.

At this point we don't know if there is going to be a public option, what restrictions (if any) there will be against using federal dollars to fund abortions, or how it will be funded. The specific details aren't really important (yes, it's big government being forced on us, but I've made that point already).

What really gets my blood boiling is the fact that we don't know anything. The major agreements have been held behind closed doors, and Republican influence has been largely excluded. No one has been able to watch how this monstrosity (that affects just about everyone) is being designed.

Wait a second, I hear another one of the president's broken promises fast approaching. Yes, one of Obama's major campaign promises was that the negotiations would not be behind closed doors- they would be on "C-Span." See for yourself. Speaker Pelosi said something to the effect of "there has never been a more open Congress." I beg your pardon!

What's worse, it's these closed-door meetings that are producing the sweet deals that the majority party is using to buy the votes needed to get passage. It was behind closed doors where Joe Lieberman (D-CT) got the Democrats to drop the public option. It was behind closed doors where Mary Landrieu (D-LA) received $300 million for her state. And it was behind closed doors where Ben Nelson (D-NE) was able to get the federal government to pay a share of his state's Medicare costs. All three of these Democrats said they would oppose the bill in its current form, and yet the were instantly on board once these deals were laid on the table.

This is your government, folks!

If you've been paying attention you know that the head of C-Span has urged the White House and leaders of Congress to televise the meetings. They haven't budged.

Until things change, this is what you need to know:

1. No matter what's in the bill it still is the government trying to shove a socialist program down our throats, no matter how much the American people don't want it.

2. We won't really know what's going on, because the meetings aren't made public.

3. The Democrats are willing to make any bribe or concession necessary to change to mind of any lawmaker that is "opposed."

Friends, say "goodbye" to Democracy.

Anyway, don't mind me, I'm just Rambling.

AND HOOK 'EM HORNS!!

In the name of peace (sort of)

The Nobel Peace Prize apparently doesn't mean much anymore. After all, it was just awarded to a president who, in nine short months in office, has accomplished... ready....

NOTHING!!

Obama has done nothing to make this world more peaceful. Sure, he's reached out to Muslims, but I don't feel safer now that he's our president. He wants a world without nuclear weapons. Well, that's nice- if you're playing Monopoly. Let's see which countries are working towards a world without nuclear weapons. America- yes. Iran and North Korea- no. Hmmm....

Ok, let's take a look a some of the things Obama's done in the name of "peace."

• He consistently apologizes for, and criticizes his country, the United States of America. We, as a country, have been arrogant and acted unilaterally. Terrorist acts were renamed as man-made disasters. He made us look like the bad guy because he didn't want to offend anyone.
• He has cut back on missile defense spending, including his decision to scrap plans for a global missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. Obama turned his back on these valuable allies of ours to appease Russia. In doing so he has opened up America to a ballistic missile attack.
• He has wavered on his commitment on the War on Terror in Afghanistan. During his campaign and the early, early part of his presidency, Obama was set on what he wanted to do in Afghanistan. His supporters lauded him for it. Now because major players in the Democratic Party are opposed to this war, Obama has balked, and no one knows what is going on. The soldiers in Afghanistan don't know why they're fighting.

Let me ask you this, Mr. President: how many of our troops died while you sat on your hands knowing your general in Afghanistan needed reinforcements? How many troops died while you were on with Letterman? How many were killed while you were selling the city of Chicago to the International Olympic Committee? Are you telling me that you did not act on this information because General McChrystal didn't "officially" ask you? Were you too afraid of losing the support of your Party?

His general in Afghanistan told him if he doesn't send 40,000 additional troops we lose this war. Send the troops and this thing is still winnable. The correct course of action: SEND THE TROOPS! The president should do whatever it takes to make sure his military has all the necessary resources to win, despite any opposition. You either want to defeat the Taliban and Al Queda or you don't. It's that simple.

The president didn't win the Nobel Peace Prize because of anything he did. He won it because he spoke of a world without nuclear weapons where no one fights. He won it because he said America is no better than anyone else, and we must all lead by example. He won it because he is a nice guy, and he doesn't offend anyone.

By the way, the nomination deadline for this award was February 1, 2009. That means when he was nominated, he had been president for only eleven days. ELEVEN DAYS! Nothing happened in eleven days, everyone was still on cloud nine following the inauguration. Even the president didn't know why he won.

Here's what we've learned: if you make your country less safe to make everyone like you (even though some will always want to destroy us), you too can win the Nobel Prize for Peace. What a joke!

That's all.