A philosophical question is raised as to whether in the name of Prudence, one should sacrifice one’s dearly held moral principles. Let’s talk about Mike Huckibee. Huckibee has come right out and said it. He is going to leave the Republican Party and become an independent if the Republicans as a party embrace gay marriage. I admire him for his moral stand on principle and would only pray that I had the moral backbone to do the same thing, as a potential democrat running for office, no matter how much it hurt me politically. Gay marriage is an abomination - - and you can do all the sugar coating of the issue you want to and it won’t change that basic truth. But I may have an unlikely ally in my position in Norman Goldman, who talked about the Supreme Court and whether the writers of the constitution EVER intended this already powerful court - - branch of government- - ALSO had the power of “Judicial review” as it is called. An unanswered constitutional question at the original convention was “Who will be the ultimate authority on what is constitutional and what is not? “ And do you think the constitution would have EVER passed the states with THAT much power in a single entity? Hummm? I think not. Thom Hartman has amazing clarity on this point. If a legislature passes a law that is no good- - then the people should rise up and say this law needs to be changed, and if they won’t then elect other legislators next time. This seems obvious to me. Why should the will of the people be overridden by some self appointed dictator in a black robe. Presidents Jackson, Lincoln, and Roosevelt were ademate that this “constitutional” stuff is an abuse of power by the High Court. So if Huckibee wants to invoke some doctrine of “nullification” I’m right there behind him. This whole issue with John Boehner and Congress inviting the Israeli Prime Minister to speak before that body - - has come up. I’ve thought long and hard over this but much as I’d like to come against John Boehner on this one- - I don’t see how I can. John Boehner seems perfectly within his rights as the head of a co equal branch of government to invite whomever he wants to speak before the legislative body. I know all this bit about interfering with the Israeli election and all. If the citizens want to hold it against Netenyahoo then they can campaign against him in their own country. But I don’t see any way that John Boehner is at fault on this issue. As to the interviewing of the new Attorney General candidate on race and immigration- - I’ve had a change of heart on this immigration issue. I now believe the president was wrong to go around what he knows to be the will of Congress on this issue, and Lindsey Graham or anybody else has the right to question a potential A G’s qualifications to head the Justice Department if they refuse to enforce a duly passed law. That’s my opinion.
Prudence is the watch
word. One of the wisest sayings I’ve
come across was from a Dr Levy collection of quotations from Founders and one
female said “It’s a proven truth that the last thing you want to do - - is the
first thing you should do”. Just think
of the applications of this statement.
In my own case the last thing I want to do is to get a colonoscopy, and
yet I know eventually I should do it.
Also high on the list is having my computer checked out- - and the
hassles of getting a new computer and transferring all of the times and
hopefully if I update operating systems, the old stuff will be compatible with
it. I know that before I do that I need
to back up and I also need to download photos from the camera but before even
doing that I should take more pictures around here. One
thing under “The last thing you want to do” is to speak of some clear danger
that only you are aware of, for instance smoking wires in some electrical
system. Everyone around you is content
to either not be aware or not care about it, but you clearly see the danger and
Owe it to mention it. I would call the
Trans-Canada pipeline a “clear and present danger to planet earth”. A lot of parents should immediately get their
kids vaccinated for measles since there is an epidemic right now. They have medical staff roaming the Super
Bowl looking for people displaying symptoms of being ill. If you have measles anything you touch will
have viruses on it that could infect someone else after you’ve left for the
next two hours. They call it the MRM
vaccine for measles, rubella and mumps.
Of course DPT is diphtheria, pertusssis, and tetanus. They are concerned about primarisol with the
mercury, but mercury does not cause autism, which is a very specific brain
genetic defect. Mercury causes mental,
confusion and disorientation and even hallucination, but not autism. Of course there are drones to watch out for
in this year’s super bowl because they are cropping up all over the place, and
some people like Bill Press would like to ban all of them. Certainly drones with cameras should be addressed-
- if you/re flying past someone’s upstairs bedroom window where there would be
some presumption of privacy. Then of
course there are bombs that need to be looked out for at the Super Bowl. Something “prudent” is anything good and
wise to do under known circumstances.
There is this case where two college defendants were convicted of rape,
but then somehow it was learned that one of the jurors had been sexually
assaulted- - fifteen years ago. Some
like Neil Savedra and Bill Halliday (neither ones bastions of forgiveness)
would employ the “damaged goods” doctrine here by saying that if you were a
victim of the crime you are trying you are suddenly “no good” as a juror. As a conscientious individual I see a major
flaw in this logic. It smacks too much
of this so called “pre existant condition” insurance companies like to nag you
for. But I have a doctrine of my
own. It’s the “Ask any question you want
to- - but when you publicly state that you are Satisfied with your many
queries- - and you make the deal, than it’s a done deal. This juror “passed inspection” and I think it
would be chaotic if anything that “passed inspection” were poked at and
re-questioned - - if only mentally. It
just would not be Prudent- - to re-try a rape case where it’s clear both the
parties are guilty as sin.
I need to address this whole "Reality" question when it comes to all this Federation stuff I do. Last night I was looking at that Hubble telescope book. It helps to understand the images of the stars you are looking at to read the comentary. They had Orion up there and the star Beteleguise. It's a very massive star- - and you could put Earth's entire orbital path around inside Betelguise and still have all sorts of space left over. That's reality. That's the size of the star we are talking about. It's a very old star. I heard from other sources there is Iron in this star- - which is the "final product" of any fusion reaction. These fusion reactions keep going until they get to Iron and then stop. "Iron Sun" is the BOC reference. But what when what you know and learn as "reality" contradicts, for lack of a better term "Federation doctrine". In May of 1994 Pete Richards reported that this girl singer named Annie was leaving Calvary Anaheim, and his explanation for it was "She's into Reality now". I think it's mentally healthy for ALL of us to be "Into Reality". Remember that among other things I am an Objectivist philosophically, which means there are certain criteria for what my mental discipline will accept as "True". Some of these rock group origens, for instance, to me seem hopelessly arbitrary. It was one of these Eye on LA shows and they were talking about this Atomic Cafe place in "Little Tokyo" and I guess the old building was being torn down. And they remarked how luminaries such as David Bowie, Blondie, and the Go-Go's hung out there. But my "doctrinal self" said "Wait a minute- - you're talking three different cosmic entities here." It's like coming accross an Irishman, a Jamaican and a Puerto Rican and then saying 'You three can't hang out together because you're of different races" like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and Joan Baez all hanging out together as folk singers. As an Objectivist there comes a point where I am going to DEMAND a certain ammount of validation Proof from that thing I profess to believe in. And I'm not sure I have it. I don't want to be one of those "Day Trippers" who goes on and on about something but never comes to where the rubber meets the road. I don't want to be like these untimed web sites with no arrows - - and you don't know if the thing is going to go on for another thirty seconds or thirty minutes yammering away about FIMA or whatever government organization they're ragging on today. They go off half cocked like an escapee from an Assylum stating their Palinesque sentense fragments, run together without any punctuation, and they leave it to You to somehow make Sense of it. Or at least I'm ASSUMING they want you to make Sense of what they are saying. So now I've said my peace, and it's you people's turn to respond- - as a call in show host might say.
I need to address this whole "Reality" question when it comes to all this Federation stuff I do. Last night I was looking at that Hubble telescope book. It helps to understand the images of the stars you are looking at to read the comentary. They had Orion up there and the star Beteleguise. It's a very massive star- - and you could put Earth's entire orbital path around inside Betelguise and still have all sorts of space left over. That's reality. That's the size of the star we are talking about. It's a very old star. I heard from other sources there is Iron in this star- - which is the "final product" of any fusion reaction. These fusion reactions keep going until they get to Iron and then stop. "Iron Sun" is the BOC reference. But what when what you know and learn as "reality" contradicts, for lack of a better term "Federation doctrine". In May of 1994 Pete Richards reported that this girl singer named Annie was leaving Calvary Anaheim, and his explanation for it was "She's into Reality now". I think it's mentally healthy for ALL of us to be "Into Reality". Remember that among other things I am an Objectivist philosophically, which means there are certain criteria for what my mental discipline will accept as "True". Some of these rock group origens, for instance, to me seem hopelessly arbitrary. It was one of these Eye on LA shows and they were talking about this Atomic Cafe place in "Little Tokyo" and I guess the old building was being torn down. And they remarked how luminaries such as David Bowie, Blondie, and the Go-Go's hung out there. But my "doctrinal self" said "Wait a minute- - you're talking three different cosmic entities here." It's like coming accross an Irishman, a Jamaican and a Puerto Rican and then saying 'You three can't hang out together because you're of different races" like Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins, and Joan Baez all hanging out together as folk singers. As an Objectivist there comes a point where I am going to DEMAND a certain ammount of validation Proof from that thing I profess to believe in. And I'm not sure I have it. I don't want to be one of those "Day Trippers" who goes on and on about something but never comes to where the rubber meets the road. I don't want to be like these untimed web sites with no arrows - - and you don't know if the thing is going to go on for another thirty seconds or thirty minutes yammering away about FIMA or whatever government organization they're ragging on today. They go off half cocked like an escapee from an Assylum stating their Palinesque sentense fragments, run together without any punctuation, and they leave it to You to somehow make Sense of it. Or at least I'm ASSUMING they want you to make Sense of what they are saying. So now I've said my peace, and it's you people's turn to respond- - as a call in show host might say.
I GUESS YOU MIGHT CALL THIS "AM AMERICAN PRAYER OF SUPPLICATION"
#1 The Obama administration tells us that 8.69 million Americans are “officially unemployed” and that92.90 million Americans are considered to be “not in the labor force”. That means that more than 101 million U.S. adults do not have a job right now.
#2 One recent survey discovered that 55 percent of Americans believe that the American Dream either never existed or that it no longer exists.
#3 Considering the fact that Obama is in the White House, it is somewhat surprising that 55 percent of all Republicans still believe in the American Dream, but only 33 percent of all Democrats do.
#4 After adjusting for inflation, median household income has fallen by nearly $5,000 since 2007.
#5 After adjusting for inflation, “the median wealth figure for middle-income families” fell from $78,000 in 1983 to $63,800 in 2013.
#6 At this point, 59 percent of Americans believe that “the American dream has become impossible for most people to achieve”.
#7 In 1967, 53 percent of Americans were considered to be “middle income”. But today, only 43 percentof Americans are.
#8 For each of the past six years, more businesses have closed in the United States than have opened. Prior to 2008, this had never happened before in all of U.S. history.
#9 According to the New York Times, the “typical American household” is now worth 36 percent lessthan it was worth a decade ago.
#10 According to one recent report, 43 million Americans currently have unpaid medical debt on their credit reports.
#11 Traditionally, owning a home has been one of the key indicators that you belong to the middle class. Unfortunately, the rate of homeownership in the U.S. has now been falling for seven years in a row.
#12 According to a survey that was conducted last year, 52 percent of all Americans cannot even afford the house that they are living in right now.
#13 While Barack Obama has been in the White House, the number of Americans on food stamps has gone from 32 million to 46 million.
#14 The number of Americans on food stamps has now exceeded the 46 million mark for 38 months in a row.
#15 Right now, more than one out of every five children in the United States is on food stamps.
#16 According to a Washington Post article published just recently, more than 50 percent of the children in U.S. public schools now come from low income homes. This is the first time that this has happened in at least 50 years.
#17 According to the Census Bureau, 65 percent of all children in the United States are living in a home that receives some form of aid from the federal government.
#18 In 2008, 53 percent of all Americans considered themselves to be “middle class”. But by 2014, only44 percent of all Americans still considered themselves to be “middle class”.
#19 In 2008, 25 percent of all Americans in the 18 to 29-year-old age bracket considered themselves to be “lower class”. But in 2014, an astounding 49 percent of all Americans in that age range considered themselves to be “lower class”.
#20 It is hard to believe, but an astounding 53 percent of all American workers make less than $30,000 a year.
#21 According to one recent survey, 62 percent of all Americans are currently living paycheck to paycheck.
#22 According to CNN, the typical American family can only “replace 21 days of income with readily accessible funds”.
The key to the recovery of the middle class is jobs.
The truth is that without middle class jobs, it is impossible to have a middle class.
Unfortunately, more middle class jobs are being offshored, are being replaced by technology, or are being lost to a slowing economy every single day.
IT’S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE, IS IT?
So how can we get this turned around?
How can we start to increase the number of middle class jobs in America once again?
Will Repentance, Prayer and Fasting work?
#2 One recent survey discovered that 55 percent of Americans believe that the American Dream either never existed or that it no longer exists.
#3 Considering the fact that Obama is in the White House, it is somewhat surprising that 55 percent of all Republicans still believe in the American Dream, but only 33 percent of all Democrats do.
#4 After adjusting for inflation, median household income has fallen by nearly $5,000 since 2007.
#5 After adjusting for inflation, “the median wealth figure for middle-income families” fell from $78,000 in 1983 to $63,800 in 2013.
#6 At this point, 59 percent of Americans believe that “the American dream has become impossible for most people to achieve”.
#7 In 1967, 53 percent of Americans were considered to be “middle income”. But today, only 43 percentof Americans are.
#8 For each of the past six years, more businesses have closed in the United States than have opened. Prior to 2008, this had never happened before in all of U.S. history.
#9 According to the New York Times, the “typical American household” is now worth 36 percent lessthan it was worth a decade ago.
#10 According to one recent report, 43 million Americans currently have unpaid medical debt on their credit reports.
#11 Traditionally, owning a home has been one of the key indicators that you belong to the middle class. Unfortunately, the rate of homeownership in the U.S. has now been falling for seven years in a row.
#12 According to a survey that was conducted last year, 52 percent of all Americans cannot even afford the house that they are living in right now.
#13 While Barack Obama has been in the White House, the number of Americans on food stamps has gone from 32 million to 46 million.
#14 The number of Americans on food stamps has now exceeded the 46 million mark for 38 months in a row.
#15 Right now, more than one out of every five children in the United States is on food stamps.
#16 According to a Washington Post article published just recently, more than 50 percent of the children in U.S. public schools now come from low income homes. This is the first time that this has happened in at least 50 years.
#17 According to the Census Bureau, 65 percent of all children in the United States are living in a home that receives some form of aid from the federal government.
#18 In 2008, 53 percent of all Americans considered themselves to be “middle class”. But by 2014, only44 percent of all Americans still considered themselves to be “middle class”.
#19 In 2008, 25 percent of all Americans in the 18 to 29-year-old age bracket considered themselves to be “lower class”. But in 2014, an astounding 49 percent of all Americans in that age range considered themselves to be “lower class”.
#20 It is hard to believe, but an astounding 53 percent of all American workers make less than $30,000 a year.
#21 According to one recent survey, 62 percent of all Americans are currently living paycheck to paycheck.
#22 According to CNN, the typical American family can only “replace 21 days of income with readily accessible funds”.
The key to the recovery of the middle class is jobs.
The truth is that without middle class jobs, it is impossible to have a middle class.
Unfortunately, more middle class jobs are being offshored, are being replaced by technology, or are being lost to a slowing economy every single day.
IT’S NOT A PRETTY PICTURE, IS IT?
So how can we get this turned around?
How can we start to increase the number of middle class jobs in America once again?
Will Repentance, Prayer and Fasting work?
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