May each of you have the heart to conceive, the understanding to direct, and the hand to execute works that will leave the world a little better for your having been here. -- Ronald Reagan

Monday, October 29, 2012

The Political Emerson

~ “LETTERS FROM EUROPE” - by Rob (Wind Rose Hotel) ~

With presidential elections ahead, perhaps it is not useless to talk about political philosophy, specifically about Emerson, one of my all time favorite thinkers.

In spite of the fact that relatively few of Ralph Waldo Emerson’s essays, speeches and lectures—nor even the most important—are expressly concerned with politics, the Sage of Concord had a major influence on the American political culture. How come? The point is that Transcendentalism—Emerson, as it is well known, was the most important theoretician of that movement—showed a “practical” character, the central point of which was that a man, if renewed in soul, would be able to change, in the truest sense of the term, the world. Meanwhile Emerson had resolutely moved the traditional borders of philosophy, he namely had “evaded” the inclination to center on epistemology. There follows an idea of philosophy as a form of criticism of culture, centered on Emerson’s idea of America—”America,” he said, “is the idea of Emancipation.”  Which doesn’t prevent him from seeing the ills of his country. He wrote in his Journal:

American idea, Emancipation, appears in our freedom of intellection, in our reforms, & in our bad politics; has, of course, its sinister side, which is most felt by the drilled & scholastic. But, if followed, leads to heavenly places. 

This is the “political Emerson,” a censor of concrete America of his days in the name of an ideal America he would propose to his fellow countrymen with his volcanic power, emotional depth and searing intellectual intensity—”We live in Lilliput,”  he complained—, between an indignant protest and the blazing faith in one democracy to come, founded on the soul, and not on governments and banks.

In dealing with the State, we ought to remember that its institutions are not aboriginal, though they existed before we were born: that they are not superior to the citizen: that every one of them was once the act of a single man: every law and usage was a man’s expedient to meet a particular case: that they all are imitable, all alterable; we may make as good; we may make better. 

What is most important, for Emerson, is that no state, institution and economic system can assume the right to constitute a higher principle than the Individual. He is on the same wavelength as his friends Henry David Thoreau and Thomas Carlyle by dissociating from both the alienation of the individual under the conditions of modern production and the way many contemporary Americans were, “with their vast material interest, materialized intellect, & low morals,”  he wrote in his Journal in 1851.

As a result, one can, must, distrust state and government.

Hence, the less government we have the better, - the fewer laws, and the less confided power. The antidote to this abuse of formal government, is, the influence of private character, the growth of the Individual; the appearance of the principal to supersede the proxy; the appearance of the wise man, of whom the existing government is, it must be owned, but a shabby imitation. That which all things tend to educe, which freedom, cultivation, intercourse, revolutions, go to form and deliver, is character; that is the end of nature, to reach unto this coronation of her king. To educate the wise man, the State exists; and which the appearance of the wise man, the State expires. The appearance of character makes the State unnecessary. The wise man is the State. [Politics]

Is this utopia? It may be so, at least as long as we declare even the idea of emancipation, in the most comprehensive sense of the word, to be utopistic. Certainly Emerson shows a way, an attitude of mind. Nevertheless, this apotheosis of individualism, pragmatically suggests to him anything but extremist behaviors. He gets angry with bankers and politicians, but by advancing solid arguments.

As an old fan of Emerson, I think that as a political thinker he was actually worthy of the Man of God, the Poet, the Enchanter. Above all, it is amazing to see the symbiosis of two faiths almost always antithetical—that in the aristocracy of the spirit, and that in the liberté-egalité-fraternité principles.

Which perhaps is quite comforting if you think about the depressing political landscape of today.

Sunday, October 28, 2012

Democrat Consultant Pat Caddell on the Benghazi Cover Up

When the press becomes an advocate and refuses to report events then democracy is in grave peril.

http://youtu.be/IBR4g6cBYeA


Benghazi Cover Up by President and Press: View by Democrat Consultant Pat Caddell

This so expresses the outrage all of us Americans should be screaming about for the death of Americans because our President didn't send help to the embassy when it was being attacked. Then he lied and covered it up. It's not being reported by any of the Re-elect Obama Press. There ARE DEAD AMERICANS! Killed as a result of this Commander in Chief's negligence! This battle went on for seven hours, and Obama told the forces in place to help them to stand down! Then he went to two fund raisers, when there were MURDERED AMERICANS!

http://youtu.be/Bsz5iZX9Db4



To Democrats, Women are Vagina's

To the Democrats, women are just vagina's. A few weeks ago they had an ad, since taken down, telling women to vote with their lady parts. In their view women are only interested in abortion and contraception. Nearly all their Convention dealt with abortion and contraception, and most of the campaign ads I've seen are. Don't bother their pretty little heads with things like economics and foreign policy. The feminist movement was arguably the most effective social movement in US history. It devolved into a Leftist ideological advocacy movement, and that has turn out to women being, by Leftists, disregarded as sex parts. Back to square one for women in America? Or will they smarten up and vote for the things that work, that provide economic growth and national security?

This is a tasteless ad comparing voting for the first time with losing one's virginity, which, I'm told, is often painful.

http://youtu.be/o6G3nwhPuR4













Great parody of the ad.

http://youtu.be/sSxDE1QCHA4


Sunday, October 21, 2012

"The Well" Casting Crowns




Politicians and Their Faith. Practice or Political Practicality?

During the Vice Presidential debates, moderator  Martha Raddatz asked the two contenders about abortion and how their faith informs their lives. VP Joe Biden said,  “My religion defines who I am...”  He is, like Paul Ryan, a Catholic. Unlike Ryan, it appears he decides which doctrines and dogma he decides to accept.

The longer quote:
"I accept my church’s position on abortion as a — what we call a de fide doctrine. Life begins at conception in the church’s judgment. I accept it in my personal life. But I refuse to impose it on equally devout Christians and Muslims and Jews, and I just refuse to impose that on others…"

Not being Catholic I had to look up "de fide": De fide (of the faith) is a "theological note" or "theological qualification" that indicates that some religious doctrine is an essential part of Catholic faith and that denial of it is heresy.[1] (Wikipedia Dictionary)

This also, to my understanding, something revealed by God. Apparently the issue of abortion doesn't qualify. 

To my greater point, politicians often separate their faith from their politics. This causes me severe cognitive dissonance. If your faith informs and defines you, how can you in practice ignore the values, beliefs or teachings of your Faith or Church?

Biden's answer is typical; he refuses to impose them on others. The Kennedy's are all pro abortion and nearly all have gotten divorces against the doctrine of the Church they claim to belong to. Nancy Pelosi, another Catholic has even said abortion is an unsettled matter in the Church, and doctrine has developed only in the last fifty years.
"I would say that as an ardent, practicing Catholic, this is an issue that I have studied for a long time.  And what I know is, over the centuries, the doctors of the church have not been able to make that definition.  And Senator–St. Augustine said at three months.  We don’t know. The point is, is that it shouldn’t have an impact on the woman’s right to choose.  Roe v. Wade talks about very clear definitions of when the child–first trimester, certain considerations; second trimester; not so third trimester.  There’s very clear distinctions.  This isn’t about abortion on demand, it’s about a careful, careful consideration of all factors and–to–that a woman has to make with her doctor and her god.  And so I don’t think anybody can tell you when life begins, human life begins.  As I say, the Catholic Church for centuries has been discussing this, and there are those who’ve decided…"
 The Catholic Church teaches life begins at conception. It has been since at least 70 CE.  
“The second commandment of the teaching: You shall not murder. You shall not commit adultery. You shall not seduce boys. You shall not commit fornication. You shall not steal. You shall not practice magic. You shall not use potions. You shall not procure [an] abortion, nor destroy a newborn child” (Didache 2:1–2 [A.D. 70]).

The Catechism in paragraphs 2271, 2272, and 2274, and explicit in 2322:
 "From its conception, the child has the right to life. Direct abortion, that is, abortion willed as an end or as a means, is a “criminal” practice (GS 27 § 3), gravely contrary to the moral law. The Church imposes the canonical penalty of excommunication for this crime against human life."

If a politician claims to belong to a religious institution, or claims belief in the teachings and values of their stated Faith, when they say, like Biden, their Faith defines them, they should walk the talk. It's not a matter of forcing beliefs on others. Such people deciding to be politicians, regardless of political affiliation, should vote issues according to their Faith if they state it's what defines them. They should run for office stating they cannot vote for pro abortion laws or State funded abortion because of religious beliefs. The same with any issue. They should tell the public their affiliation and beliefs when they run for office, and that they obey and practice them. Biden saying his Religion informs his life, then not acting on that, makes him both a hypocrite and a liar. These people's politics and lust for power inform their lives, not their Church or their Faith.

What church or what religion one practices is a matter of choice. Belonging to a Church is voluntary.

If one disagrees with those teachings, dogma, doctrine, another Church should be found. To do anything other than that is hypocritical and cowardly.

 From the debate:





Bidenisms! And they mocked Bush?

Joe "Laughing" Biden 'always saying what he means' debating with himself. Hilarious vid!




Thursday, October 18, 2012

Jimmy Kimmel Before the Pres Debate Asking Man on the Street Who Won

Oh my, hope these people aren't voting. These on street interviews about the town hall presidential debate, asking what they thought of it, when it hadn't even taken place yet.




Wednesday, October 17, 2012

Tax Fairness? A Simple Breakdown and Explanation

Beck simplifies the "Fairness" aspect of taxes.



Sunday, October 14, 2012

Summation of Obama Presidency to Date

Failure

I find it hard to believe anyone can be undecided about who to vote for in this upcoming election. This should be a final nail to convince those that this man is a liar, says one thing, does another, and claims he has done what he said he was going to do in the first place. This covers every issue from transparency (he had a meeting on transparency and it was closed to the public) to Health Care (he said costs wouldn't go up and they did; it's not even fully implemented yet) to energy (he said before the election that he would bankrupt coal companies and necessarily costs to consumers would skyrocket).


http://youtu.be/gTtePpL3EQw

The choice is clear, don't obfuscate. You're either for a communist that is hell bent on impoverishing this country, disarming the citizens, weakening our military beyond any capable functionality, is an anti Christian bigot; or for a successful capitalist that supports a growing economy that benefits all, supports freedom of religion, supports the second amendment, and supports a strong military.

I'm sick of Leftists/Democrats that say they're for the latter, then vote for and behind closed doors work and say the things that are antithetical to what this constitutional republic is about.


Wednesday, October 10, 2012

Obamanomics: The Record


Clear numbers driven analysis, each economics bill passed and the result. Well worth a few minutes.


http://youtu.be/ZPNjWtwDbso


Sunday, October 7, 2012

Madison Rising, "Star Spangled Banner"

Don't usually like or endorse stylistic changes to the "Star Spangled Banner", but this one is amazing.

http://youtu.be/c8C7i9kdEf8

This would not sit well with Obama and his cult of personality followers. His flag:


Christians Voting for Marxists, Secularists Then Surprised When They Vote to Oppress Freedom of Religion

Goal of Democrat Party for America

I've been saying for years that Marxism, Socialism, Communism, the Democrat Party and the rest of the totalitarian government philosophies and entities are antithetical to Christianity and have sat in wonderment that so many Christians vote Democrat or Socialist.

We had Barack Obama famously comment on those that cling to their guns and religion, directed at Christians here which don't, while he supports the Islamofascists in the Middle East that do. What else not supported are public displays of Christianity. Obama and the Democrats have turned freedom of religion found in the Establishment Clause to freedom from religion  and freedom to worship. Freedom to worship means if you're a Christian, shut the hell up except when you're with you own kind on Sundays.

I've chronicled how government officials have helped the Democrat Party, the Freedom From Religion Foundation (FFRF), the Communist Party founded ACLU going to schools, colleges and universities, to the middle of the desert, to the deep woods, and anywhere a Cross or Ten Commandments monument or engraving is found, and sue to get them removed. Even to the point of a Ten Commandments monument on school grounds, voted on by the Democrat City Council to be removed. A solution was offered to have the monument moved to a nearby church. That was rejected because it was still in public view. Seriously.

Look for the day when churches will have to remove Crosses if that's the case.

It's the Democrat Party that's forcing the Catholic Church and other religious institutions to pay for birth control, abortion pills, abortion, infanticide according to government dictates, violating centuries of tradition, values and belief.

It's the Democrat Party and other anti Christians that keep Christian clubs forming on Campuses. It's the Democrat Party and other anti Christian intolerant bigots forcing existing clubs to accept and vote into leadership positions atheists and secularists to meet with "diversity" guidelines. It's the Democrat Party that is trying to stop Bible study groups from meeting in homes. Only Christian groups; Islamists are given a pass in the name of 'diversity".

Given all that, many Christians will still vote Democrat. They will vote for the city council members that remove Christian symbols from the public square. The will vote for state and federal Democrat officials that have a history of anti Christian bigotry and belief in the State before God. For example, a Catholic politician voting for abortion and infanticide, using as an excuse they don't want to force their values on other's. It's not a value if you use the power of the State to force others to obey the State and violate Christian practices; that person values the Secularist State over Christianity. He\She values killing babies over saving them. Yet many Christians will vote for these supporters that ignore or turn the Establishment Clause on its head. They will vote for those that oppose Christianity but give Islamists a pass. They will vote for those that ignore Biblical Principles.

The Founding Fathers made it quite clear that there must be a [Christian] religious moral foundation and virtuous people for our republic to survive. Many Christians for decades have voted against Christianity and for the State the oppresses them, then complain when the State, the people they voted for, actually starts removing all public practice and symbols of Christianity from the public square.

"If My people, who are called by My Name, will humble themselves and pray and seek My Face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven, forgive their sin, and heal their land."  2 Chronicles 7:14 

I can't help but think what happened to the Old Testament Jews every time they turned their back on God. It wasn't pretty.
  

Tuesday, October 2, 2012

Bishop E W Jackson, Pres of S.T.A.N.D Calls for Mass Exodus fm Democrat Party by all Christians

Wow Wow Wow S.T.A.N.D. ~ Staying True To America's National Destiny

http://youtu.be/7_FrySY8oYM


Tate Stevens - X Factor 2012

Charming funny man with a great voice. Oh the voice...oh my...

http://youtu.be/_Q8IAwaGNqg