Confusing the Free Market

By the government artificially sustaining failing companies that are "too big to fail" they are confusing the free market. Failing companies encourage company leadership to make hard changes and investors to consider new (and better) companies. By allowing companies like GM to continue to operate despite the failing in the free market, you confuse investors. Some that would remove their investment and give it to a growing company to fuel it's good choices will leave their investment (or worse invest more) in companies that SHOULD fail, thereby enabling their bad choices. This creates a double hit on competitors because it removes risk from the failing company while increasing it for their legitimate competitors. It also forces competitors to become investors in the very companies that compete with them, with no hope of a return on their forced investment (in the form of higher taxes).

Government can't create jobs (unless they are government jobs that actually drain the economy). The government can't insure fairness. The government can't bail-out or rescue industries. The government doesn't produce revenue, it consumes it.

The bottom line is that the government has no business being involved in the free market. The market is self balancing and when you have the federal government trying to help, it just creates a pendulum affect.

The Road Not Taken

The Road Not Taken


Two roads diverged in a yellow wood,
And sorry I could not travel both
And be one traveller, long I stood
And looked down one as far as I could
To where it bent in the undergrowth;

Then took the other, as just as fair,
And having perhaps the better claim,
Because it was grassy and wanted wear;
Though as for that the passing there
Had worn them really about the same,

And both that morning equally lay
In leaves no step had trodden black.
Oh, I kept the first for another day!
Yet knowing how way leads on to way,
I doubted if I should ever come back.

I shall be telling this with a sigh
Somewhere ages and ages hence:
Two roads diverged in a wood, and I--
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference

...Robert Frost

'Stop trying to frighten the American people'

President Barack Obama told House Republican leaders to "stop trying to frighten the American people" even as he and Democrats said they see a possibility for bipartisan cooperation on job creation legislation.
See this article

It seems to me that anytime somebody disagrees with the President they have evil intensions according to...the White House. There is no way anyone could have a legitimate disagreement or a valid point that is contrary to Obama's. If you disagree with an Obama revelation you will get a either the arrogant condescension of "You just don't get it you poor ignorant person." or the instant over polarized "If you are against our Jobs bill you must WANT people to be unemployed so you can take advantage of them!"


The Obama Political Machine is so very obvious at this point:

1. Claim a mandate on the issue since you mentioned it when running for office.
2. Use "crisis" at least 10 times any time you speak to the media.
3. Label anyone who asks for clarification on potential problems with your solution as evil or ignorant (or both).
4. Give well read speeches saying things like, "Let me be clear", "The time is now", and "bipartisan", while spinning the issue, wasting time with lots of meetings that exclude those (evil or ignorant) Republicans.
5. Blitz the morning shows talking about "Don't let those Republicans scare you, we are getting it done." (except for FoxNews...they are evil and ignorant...not "real news").
6. Claim this is our only chance to tackle this issue for a generation (we may never make this offer again....CALL NOW!).
7. Claim to have fixed some problem that you blame on the Bush administration (whether you actually did or not).
8. Have a town hall meeting and solve a personal crisis for a person in the audience using the power of the president.
9. Have a beer summit.
10. Take a vacation after the legislation has passed and don't sign it until you are good and ready.
    

It looks like Hope and Change were code words for Fear and Manipulation. If this administration wants to stop the American people from being afraid they should start with themselves.

 

Nothing is sacred anymore

From a FoxNew.com article:

The video ad, "Frosty the Inappropriate Snowman," takes authentic dialogue from CBS' "How I Met Your Mother" and "Two and a Half Men" and dubs it on top of the cartoon classic, changing well-known "Frosty" scenes to contain suggestions that the snowman and his friends visit a "strip club."

"The ad introduces children to the idea of strippers and pornography," Raezler told FoxNews.com. "The people in charge obviously thought this was funny, but the question they should ask themselves is if this is appropriate, not if it's funny."


Raezler said the advertisement is another example of popular culture "pushing the envelope" on everything.


"It's sexing up Frosty," she said. "It really drives home the idea that nothing is sacred anymore."

I can see how this would be a simple mistake to make. Those of us who grew up with these cartoons could laugh at a frosty that grew up too. I don't mean to downplay promoting lewd behavior, or the thoughtlessness of doing so in a way that may attract the attention of children, but I imagine that CBS already does that in many ways. It is one thing to have shows that are "adult" in nature, but another thing to attract children's attention to the adult ideas. I think it was foolish, but sacrilege?

To me, this shows how ignorant we have become about what is "sacred". Frosty the snowman? Are you kidding me? The innocence of our children, that is sacred. God's truth, that is sacred. The gift of salvation through Jesus that we celebrate this time of year, THAT is sacred. We have exchanged the positions of the nostalgic and the sacred. We have elevated entertainment to a position well beyond its value. We have demoted a celebration of the gift of grace to the undeserving to a white elephant gift exchange and our bi-annual appearance at church.

OK, maybe I am getting a little deep and fervent, but there is a good point here somewhere! The press is always eager to latch onto a scoop about somebody being offended by somebody else. Conservatives and liberals both take their turns spinning things into more than they are to server their agenda. Why don't we let Frosty be the fond memory he is for many of us, but remember he is not sacred in the least. There is something sacred about Christmas, I would encourage you to seek it out in earnest.

Protecting vs. Providing Welfare

I do not know the guy speaking, but the sentiment of his speech I agree with. Specifically that our federal government is not responsible for providing a result, or specific quality of life, but rather to avoid impeding our ability to pursue the best opportunities we can find.

I predict that some will be upset by his reference to class warfare, fixing bayonets and charging. For a little perspective understand that many work very hard, take calculated risks (which is hard work if done correctly), and put our families through hardships in order to pursue, and hopefully profit, from opportunities we discover. It is very offensive to us when, after we have done all of this and finally reaping the fruit of our efforts, our gain is stolen from us and given to others. Taking from my family what we have worked to obtain and giving it to somebody else, no matter how needy they are, is wrong, always. I believe that it is important to help others, and I do. However, government bureaucrats and politicians seeking to buy votes from the entitlement minded masses are not likely to be efficient, effective, or unbiased in their efforts to "help".

A Reason Why

Many have wondered what could have motivated the Nobel Committee to award the Nobel Peace Prize to Obama. Not only has he not actually done anything other than scold everybody for not getting along, there we others nominated that had made great sacrifices and achieve real change for peace.

At the risk of being labeled a conspiracy theorist, I have an idea how this might play out.

Many "world leaders" have spoken of Obama's receipt of this award by stressing that, although he has not yet achieved anything regarding real peace, he has created hope, and there is a great expectation and responsibility accompanying this award. I am sure that when Obama arrives at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen this December he will be reminded of this expectation and responsibility.

Between Obama's penchant for apologizing for the US, his disregard for our founding documents, and the "never let a crisis go to waste" policy, he is a poster child for trading our sovereignty for world government rule. I am sure he has already chosen the pen he will use to sign the treaty, and Rahm Emanuel is crafting the sound bite to adorn Obama's teleprompter. Once he agrees to let a world government supersede our constitution and US law, he can insist that we have no choice on any number of issues because the world government has decided them already.

What could be so harmful about a Global Climate Treaty you say? The harm comes in many ways, for starters we are allowing a foreign body to dictate law to our nation. Any authority ceded to the UN threatens our ability as a nation to protect the inalienable rights we were are founded on. This has a direct impact on our liberty.

Although it is often implied that the UN is somehow pure in intention, it is just another political body, it's global nature making it more corrupt, not less. There are many competing nations, interested in treaties that will enable them to skew the playing field to their advantage. Indeed the idea of "fairness" says that the stronger, more advanced nations should endure more restrictions, greater cost, and greater penalties for failure to adhere. This has a direct impact on our economy.

At this conference "developed" nations are expected to finance the cost of the treaty and it's requirements. According to Connie Hegegaard, COP15 president (called COP15 because it is held in Copenhagen and it is the 15th in a series of conferences stemming from the 1992 Earth Summit in RIO), "They cannot just continue to talk about finance. They must show – prove – to the developing world, we know that we are going to pay..." Obligating our nation to finance a treaty run by the UN (notorious for corruption and embezzlement) will burden us in the midst of our current logarithmic expanse of national debt. This is a direct threat to our viability.

Yes, there is a reason for Obama's prize, just like there is a reason the God Father does you a favor. The real prize for Obama is his oversized ego getting stroked, and for that, I can imagine him doing anything.

Obama's Nobel Mood Prize

I can't say any headline has shocked me as much as the one I saw this morning, "Obama awarded Nobel Peace Prize." What?!? He hasn't even achieved a treaty of peace for the parties to ignore yet, let alone any actual progress towards peace. They literally recognized him for changing the global mood! That would be like a football coach getting awarded coach of the year, after only being coach for a few game (mostly losses), because he gave a couple of inspiring speeches and everyone hopes his team wins.

Here is what the headline SHOULD have said, "World Community encourages Obama to continue degrading US interest so they can gain power."

Here is what was mentioned beyond the "change in global mood":

...his initiatives to reduce nuclear arms, ease tensions with the Muslim world and stress diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism.

This is simply the One World tyrants cheering the man who is dismantling the only remaining super power. Did you catch that "diplomacy and cooperation rather than unilateralism" lingo? That is code for "Not doing anything we don't approve of". Who is "we"? That would be all the other nations that want to be the most powerful on the planet, so ultimately they can act unilaterally.

Sure they mention reducing nuclear arms, but he hasn't achieved anything real in this area, and he won't. Why would I be so negative? Let me see, maybe because I know that Russia, China, North Korea, and every other nation with any sense (a list that is getting shorter all the time) would not get rid of their nuclear arms. I am not negative, I just know a little bit about humans nature.

What about reducing tension with Muslims? Well he sure has talked a lot about that, but last time I checked Islamic extremists and their supporters were definitely taking advantage of Obama's extended hand of friendship. Unfortunately for us, as Obama stands there with his hand extended (or in some cases bowing in submission to Arab leaders), the Muslims are continuing to pursue Allah's command to "Then fight and slay the pagans wherever you find them, and seize them, and besiege them and lie in wait for them in each and every ambush."

The very bad news is how this award will encourage those Americans who think it is unfair that the US can act unilaterally if we need to. I would expect Obama's apologies for the US being strong to continue, if not increase. The joke is on us, we are getting an award for being ashamed of our actual achievements and surrendering our hard won position of power to our global competitors.

"Only very rarely has a person to the same extent as Obama captured the world's attention and given its people hope for a better future," said Thorbjoern Jagland, chairman of the Nobel Committee.

Yes, I am sure he is getting the attention of the world’s leaders, and building their hope for a better future. Unfortunately for us, that better future includes transfering power and wealth to them from us. Yes, it is very rare that such an eloquent fool would be allowed to give away the hard won liberty of so many.

Living Life

OK, I am sure I will say this many times during the life of this blog....sorry for not posting anything.

It is Kendra's fault for doing her "Followers Say" and posting a bunch of things I HAD to comment on.

Anyway, it is not like many folks are reading this...so, I guess I am appologizing to myself....weird.

40 Days of Prayer

Wednesday, Sept 23rd is the beginning of 40 days for Life. Please consider what God's will for you is in this. You may pray often, but there is something powerful when believers unite in prayer with focus and desire.

In Ester 4:15,16, when the Jews are threatened with being destroyed, against an enemy who seems impossible to overcome, she knows that prayer and fasting are critical.

15 Then Esther sent this reply to Mordecai: 16 "Go, gather together all the Jews who are in Susa, and fast for me. Do not eat or drink for three days, night or day. I and my maids will fast as you do. When this is done, I will go to the king, even though it is against the law. And if I perish, I perish."

Abortion is a horrible offense to God, it has a stronghold in our nation, and we need to bring it down. Just like in Ester ignorance (of the king) allowed evil (Haman) to gain a stronghold and threaten God's people. Pray for those whose ministry is to go out and speak to the ignorant ones and change their hearts by exposing them to the truth. Ester was afraid, but she had the courage to do what was right. We should be willing to risk rejection by abortion minded people in order to turn the ignorance and save innocent lives.

To learn more about the movement look here http://www.40daysforlife.com/.

If you live in the Triad NC area here is a ministry focused on sharing the true, in love, with abortion minded people: graceandisaacministries.blogspot.com.

What is Next

OK, it looks like Dating vs. Courtship won the "What is Next" poll.  This will take me a while to put together because there are many aspects.

If you have any specific questions you want me to address, or ideas on the subject, email them to bard@jesuswreckedmylife.com.

I will let you know upfront that I will be addressing this subject from social, emotional, health, and spiritual aspects.  Expect me to look to my Bible as a major source.

Respecting the President

Recently, related to Rep. Wilson's outburst during the President's speech to congress, I have seen comments related to respecting the President. I think there is some confusion on this subject. The President is a person, and as such should be respected based on how he chooses to act. The office of the President should be shown respect based on the position of leadership it represents in our government.

Rep. Wilson disrespected the office of the President, in my opinion. When people talk about his violation of basic rules of decorum and civility, what they are saying is Wilson did not show respect to the office of the President. He apologized for this, but is stopping short, and rightly so, of apologizing for his lack of respect for Barack Hussein Obama’s choices and behaviors. There is something to be said, especially if you are representing your state in the federal government, for being wise about how you represent your opinions of the President (both the office and the person).

On the other hand, we should not expect representatives to be mute on their opinions about the man in the office of the President. The legislature is supposed to be a check and balance for the other branches of the federal government, and a President that lies seems to need a check. Wilson believes the President was being less than honest, as do many of us, so he said so. What he did was not illegal, not even unusual behavior for a representative (how many called Bush a liar?), but it sure makes for good fodder for the liberal media and liberal past presidents looking for a headline.

If the White House is going to make a big deal about respecting the office of the President of the United States of America, I only have one thing to say....You first Mr. President, you first.

Spinning the web of Dependence

"There is nothing in the world like a persuasive speech to fuddle the mental apparatus and upset the convictions and debauch the emotions of an audience not practiced in the tricks and delusions of oratory." --American author and humorist Mark Twain (1835-1910)

The Obama administration and the Democrat controlled legislature is quickly consuming the liberty of the US citizen in the name of "Change we can believe in" (and it must always be quick, we do not have time to read, debate, correct, or reject these policies because there is a crisis). Were the useful idiots (Lenin's words, some say, not mine) to realize the true cost of all their wonderful gifts of hope from Obama, Pelosi, and Reid, they would (I hope) reject them as overpriced. I suspect that by the time the Kool-Aid wears off it will be too late for them, and the rest of us for that matter.

Yes, there is a crisis, and we had better figure out a way to communicate it successfully before our current President and his conspirators in the legislature remove our ability to reject this socialist makeover.

I once watched a TV show that showed how a native could trap a Baboon by digging a hole in a termite nest and putting a chunk of salt in the hole (apparently a valued item by Baboons...who knew?). This was all done in plain sight of the Baboon. Unable to resist the lure of the salt the Baboon would reach in the hole and grab it. Unfortunately for the Baboon the native was sure to make the hole just big enough for the Baboon's hand to fit in, but not big enough to fit back out the hole with a handful of the salt chunk. Then the native would walk right up to the Baboon and capture him. All the Baboon had to do to escape bondage was to release the chunk of salt, but it would never do it.

This is the basic plan of the current liberal powers in DC. We can't bear to release "free" healthcare, "free" money for our old cars, "free" assistance for our mortgages, and so they have us. I suppose that Baboon thought it was so stupid of that native to leave that salt in the hole where he could just steal it, but in the end the native got the Baboon and the salt.

Politics vs. Service

Just wanted to point out on the eve of our President's speech about national healthcare reform, that there is a big difference between politics and service. Politics is about building power, skill in spinning things to your advantage, and who you know. Service, as in public service, is about making choices in the interest of the public AND according to the founding documents of this nation.

Politicians are usually easy to spot, mainly because they are shoving their smiling face in front of every camera they can find. Public servants are a bit harder to see. It is a slippery slope to be sure, because "the media" (sounds a lot like "The Mafia") is a part of communicating these days. In fact, there are quite a few people who have no other source of information besides somebody on the tube telling them what to be afraid of today.

Some say politicians are a necessary evil, but I say no. This country was founded by men willing to risk everything (and those of you who get all of your info from the TV will be shocked to know many DID lose everything). Why should we settle for men who are only willing to risk getting caught in an affair with their intern? There are men who have the same principles as those who founded this country, public servants, who would be willing to serve if we would only make it clear we would support them.

It is a simple law, supply and demand. When TV becomes reality, everyone wants to elect a celebrity (OK, it worked out pretty well with Reagan). We need to get a grip and find some everyday fighters who are in it for more than their own gain.

ConservObservation - What is it?

ConservObservation is basically looking at things with conservative principles in mind (Conservative+Observation).

My conservative principles are not created to achieve the conclusion I desire, but from thinking about what I believe is right. Once I believe something is right, I evaluate everything from what to eat for lunch to political issues based on these principles. I realize sometimes I do not consider things fully, and the higher levels of what I believe may be refined, but not the core.

This is why I am starting my blog, I am sure that many of my ideas, and the principles they are founded on, will be challenged by others. I welcome this since it will, one way or the other, strengthen them. Sometimes discussing something with somebody else will reveal one of those annoying inconsistencies in my principles.