Guns in Mexico.....the real story? Another Priscilla's Post

Operation Fast and Furious

If you were in  a position of power, and you wanted to have an aggressive approach towards gun control, how would you attempt to convince the public that, for the benefit of national security, it is essential to have more control over gun ownership?

It is highly probable you would have to have a crisis of weapons availability to foreign criminals who buy these weapons from citizen gun owners or gun shops, and gun shows. Several months ago, that is exactly what we were told by Hillary Clinton, Janet Napolitano and others within, and politicians outside of,  the administration. We were told American guns were finding their way into Mexico and into the hands of Mexican drug cartels and criminals. Something had to be done, given drug running, and increasing criminal gang activity by illegal aliens affects our national security. The “something” was stricter regulations on gun availability here at home.

Now, jump ahead to today. We’re hearing about "Operation Fast and Furious",  "Gunwalker", or "Operation Gunrunner". It has come out that over 1700 hundred weapons were sold by ATF agents to Mexican buyers called straw men, then they went on to drug cartel criminals in Mexico.

Acting ATF Director Melson has come under fire for this project and has testified that he was kept in the dark about the FBI and DEA involvement. It should be noted that Melson was pressured by the DOJ not to testify.

Here’s an excerpt from a letter to AG Eric Holder from Congressman Issa and Senator Grassley regarding an attempt by the DOJ to prohibit Director Melson's cooperation by giving testimony:

“Justice Department officials sought to limit and control his communications with Congress. This is yet another example of why direct communications with Congress are so important and are protected by law as follows; “Specifically, no officer or employee may attempt to prohibit or prevent any other officer or employee of the Federal Government from having direct oral or written communication or contact with any Member, committee, or subcommittee of the Congress”.

In the past, a program like Project Gunrunner required surveillance of said buyers, tracking of these weapons, and resulted in interdiction and retrieval of the weapons. It was a smaller operation, as well. But not this time.

This time, agents were told to, “let them go”. Agents were stunned and some went to their superiors,  with  complaints reporting this should not be done now and had not been done in the past. Essentially, they were told to be quiet and do what they were told.
Melson said ATF agents had witnessed the transfer of weapons from straw purchasers to others "without following the guns any further," contradicting statements by the Justice Department.  The link below is for the Issa, Grassley staff report on Operation Fast and Furious regarding the operation and testimony of ATF agents:

http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2011-06/62372429.pdf   

Ultimately, a border patrol agent was murdered with one of these weapons, as was an ICE special agent. This, I believe, began the unraveling of the project. It ultimately provided the necessity for the DOJ and ATF to indict what is called the “straw” buyers who it turned out were paid informants for the FBI and DEA and had been monitored for months. After agents later testified to Congress, the DOJ issued a directive that prohibited Gunwalking.

What in the past was procedure to interdict the transfer of weapons was given a blind eye, and agents were told not to do that but to let them go. One has to wonder why.  Interestingly, $10,000,000 for ATF Project Gunrunner, was in the stimulus package. One can only wonder what else was funded through the stimulus.

Now we have to ask ourselves why this was done. Why were weapons allowed to remain with Mexican criminals? I believe the administration wanted the weapons sales to be believed as US citizens engaging in illegal gunrunning and that this was a national security issue. This would be presented as a crisis, and "the availability of guns to American citizens must be curtailed".  I’m sure we will hear more of this scandal before it’s over; how high up did this plan and cover-up go?
By Priscilla

Z: Thanks to Pris for this succinct overview of a complicated situation and to Mr. Pris Jr. for his contribution of information.  GeeeZ and its readers really appreciate this.

I want to add here that I saw Leftwinger Bob Beckel on FOX today trying to evade this discussion and he did so with "Why would you ever believe Darryl Issa?"   This was a total ad hominem that makes no sense and has no grounds but got him out of answering a pertinent question that could have damned his hero Obama.   This is what we can expect regarding any subject that exposes Mr. Obama's dealings like the one above;  "kill the messenger, protect THE ONE".    Please, everybody, we may never get this whole story from America's media of today, but ask yourself why when we don't.

Z

A DELICATE BALANCE....another great Priscilla's Post

Freedom, Security, and Governmental Power

This is about the line drawn between keeping us secure and not impeding our right to be free. It's also about impeding our freedom with regard to issues which have nothing to do with our security.

This is a delicate balance, especially with terrorism afoot. However, who is it whose rights are being impinged upon and why? Will police or other government officials be able to come into our homes, "for the sake of the environment" and check our light bulbs? Our toilets? How far will this go?

We'll be told "if you have nothing to hide, you have nothing to worry about," but, new laws can be passed, bans can be imposed, you name it, and pretty soon, it's a full blown police state. We can't profile can we, that's against civil rights, right?  But, to avoid profiling and offending Muslims, we can be felt up or scanned in an airport. We're at war, but we're the losers, we are the ones losing our rights.

I can envision scanners everywhere if we say nothing. As we speak, there are video cameras at intersections, malls, stores, and a multitude of public places. It seems we have accepted those with little outcry. It's as if all of us are potential criminals.

The American people are being trained to be subjects, serfs, which is counter to everything our founders envisioned for our people. It's up to us to stand up and say, "no more".

While next to nothing is done about our borders, and immigrants from the Middle East and countries on the terrorist list are now ostensibly free to come here (10 East Indians were apprehended only days ago in one of the round-ups crossing from Mexico into America), it's American citizens who are coming under the government's thumb. I believe we either follow the Constitution or we are at the mercy of our lawmakers and those in political power.

I've never even believed the police had the right to drunk driving checkpoints. I consider those to be a presumption of guilt placed on  citizens who the police have no probable cause to suspect of breaking  the law. But they do it, don't they?


These things are always explained away with "if you haven't broken the law, why should you care?" This is how it starts, and little by little, sooner or later, we're closer to a total police state. Crazy laws are passed all the time. And then of course, we have activist judges, and lawyers who can twist anything to arrive at the result they want.

If we're constantly watched or questioned, they'll get a bad guy now and then that they may not have gotten otherwise, but what will we > have given up? Our freedom. I don't think it's worth that and I fear that's what is going to happen. There is an ever growing encroachment, and it doesn't feel like it's going to stop anytime soon.

Thanks, Pris....it's a very difficult balance but something that needs to be addressed.  So, folks, what are we going to do about it?

Z

The TRUTH hurts....think there will be money for pills to kill the pain? Another excellent Pris's Post

From Priscilla:

This week, MacDonalds announced that they would have to drop their medical insurance (HERE) for employees because it was unaffordable for them to continue to offer it. At issue is a new requirement banning annual caps on benefits, which began phasing in last month.
Almost instantly, alarm bells rang in the White House. Ah, but they were quick to approve a waiver for MacDonalds, and exempt them for a year. Problem solved.

But wait, Jack in the Box figured if MacDonalds could get a waiver, why couldn’t they? Almost simultaneously, the dominos began to fall. As of now, twenty eight more companies have followed suit and they too have applied for waivers. That’s thirty, and it stands to reason the list will grow.

I guess you could call this timing an unintended consequence so soon and so close to the election!! Administration waivers are being issued to stop the dumping of medical insurance by companies, and where it stops nobody knows.

And here people thought they could "keep the insurance they have". Helloooooo! These waivers are good for a year, but a year from now Obama will be running for re-election, and I don't think he'll want this to be a topic of conversation. So, do we think the waivers will be extended? I do. With this administration everything is political, but we’re not supposed to know it. We’re supposed to think they care. At this point, anyone who believes that has a screw loose.

Of course we were never meant to keep our insurance because the costs will be driven too high for us poor slobs out here in the hinterland to afford, thanks to the government which planned this from the beginning. So, the govt. will knock on our doors and say, "we're here to help", ergo, the public option will rear it's ugly head once again.
Here’s a newsflash. The healthcare bill is the public option.

Just one problem. Timing is everything. Welcome to Obamacare.......ummm....uh...but not quite yet, there's an election just around the corner! One would get the impression the administration didn’t bargain for this or they would’ve delayed the imposition of this part of their plan to go into effect. So, they have to backpedal. One wonders if anyone in Washington has read this bill yet. These are the people who are going to decide our healthcare?

This is about power not pesky details like the American people’s well being, or the nuisance called the Constitution. No, the healthcare bill is a patched together, 2700 page document for the purpose of getting it passed. It was not put together so as to be workable except to make it impossible for average citizens to afford private insurance, thereby assuring the destruction of the private insurance industry, and the government taking it over. And power, ladies and gentlemen, is what this administration is all about, nothing more, and nothing less! 

Z:  I'd like to add this email I got from my insurance agent a few weeks ago:

"I do believe that once all the Obamacare requirements for insurance companies are in place, the premium  for your policy will be so high that you will have no choice but to go to the government pool. THAT WAS THE ADMINISTRATION'S OBJECTIVE!

 In any event, I have asked my clients to just stay "as is" until more info is provided and the November election has passed."

Thanks, Priscilla, for another excellent Priscilla's Post....   Please, everybody, get this to as many voters as you know; we've GOT to win on Nov 2 and do all we can to turn this awful health thing around!!

Our friend MUSTANG sent just emailed me THIS article, which included this information: 

"If the doctor is right, and he is not alone in saying this, the proposed sale of the three Mercy hospitals becomes a harbinger of what will happen nationally as a result of ObamaCare slowly tightening its government tentacles over the private health care system. Which means the sale of the three Mercy hospitals has added Scranton to what the Wall Street Journal has already called ObamaCare's "trail of destruction."  Z: You'll want to read the rest, believe me.   It's getting uglier and uglier....and the government's going to have to come up with an AWFUL lot of money to keep hospitals from closing down under the government's mandates....wait, doesn't that sound silly considering Obama says his plan will save money?   By WHOM?
geeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeZ!

The Mosque.....another in the PRISCILLA'S POST series!

“Cordoba was the first European city conquered by a Muslim army (in 711). Then a mosque was built there, and the rest of Spain was conquered“. This quote is from the POST written by Mr. Navon and previously linked HERE.

It is no coincidence that this mosque is slated to include the name Cordoba.

The debate surrounding the building of this mosque is centered on freedom of religion and legality. Neither of these is the issue. The issue is motive and the symbolism of declaring victory by essentially dancing on the graves of innocents murdered in the name of Islam. Would anyone stand for the vandalizing of a loved one’s grave?

Now, to the advance of Islam and the appeasement and capitulation to the Islamists: this is what Mayor Bloomberg is guilty of. If freedom of religion were the overriding issue, the city of New York would not have stalled the rebuilding of the Greek Orthodox Church near ground zero and this site for the mosque.

As for the President’s position, we have to remember that Obama himself stated in one of his books that, "if things turn ugly, I’ll stand with the muslims". I think he knows and understands exactly what this mosque will stand for. This is not appeasement or naivete. It's pretty clear to me that Obama has no love for America, but for Islam? I think so.

Furthermore, those on the left have chosen to align themselves with Islam. Indirectly perhaps, but aligned just the same. What the left may not realize is that the Islamists are using them as well.

Thanks, Pris... Your last line is particularly true, in my opinion.
z

Cutting Women in AMERICA? Another Priscilla's Post

This is a piece written by GeeeeeZ contributor and commenter, Priscilla, also a very dear friend. I know you'll be just as appalled by this information as she and I are. Here's Pris's take on it (and Mark Steyn's):

Appeasement: 1. An appeasing or being appeased. 2.The policy of giving in to the demands of a hostile or aggressive power in the attempt to keep the peace. (New World Dictionary)
Political Correctness: See appeasement. (Pris)

The excerpt below is an example of how far we've come in our war against Jihad. You can read the entire article HERE. It seems for our country to have suffered deadly attacks from radical Islam, there are those especially who are highly "educated" (I use the term loosely) such as doctors, who have decided we must sacrifice our civilized culture and reward those who would destroy America with primitive practices once thought to be confined to tribes which are removed from all civilization.
This is about condoning mutilation of girls, otherwise known as clitoridectomies. This is about acceptance, in America, of this abhorrent procedure. They are calling this a compromise of the full procedure, a "nick". How thoughtful isn't it? Just partial mutilation.

This turn of events is absolutely shocking. That this could possibly be permitted by law in America, is unconscionable. If muslims are in a bind because we won't permit it here, let them go back to where they came from. What a primitive mindset these people have.

Are we to regress into becoming savages before we realize that being civilized is a thing of the past? To appease people of a culture so removed from our own? My God. IMO, this has nothing to do with politics, it has to do with misogyny or remaining a civilized society. Multiculturalism is a country killer.
By, Pris, who also shares the following by the great Mark Steyn:

" Last week, the American Association of Pediatricians noted that certain, ahem, "immigrant communities" were shipping their daughters overseas to undergo "female genital mutilation." So, in a spirit of multicultural compromise, they decided to amend their previous opposition to the practice: They're not (for the moment) advocating full-scale clitoridectomies, but they are suggesting federal and state laws be changed to permit them to give a "ritual nick" to young girls. A few years back, I thought even fainthearted Western liberals might draw the line at "FGM." After all, it's a key pillar of institutional misogyny in Islam: Its entire purpose is to deny women sexual pleasure. True, many of us hapless Western men find we deny women sexual pleasure without even trying, but we don't demand genital mutilation to guarantee it. On such slender distinctions does civilization rest. Der Spiegel, an impeccably liberal magazine, summed up the remorseless Islamization of Europe in a recent headline: "How Much Allah Can The Old Continent Bear?" Well, what's wrong with a little Allah-lite? The AAP thinks you can hop on the Sharia express and only ride a couple of stops. In such ostensibly minor concessions, the "ritual nick" we're performing is on ourselves. Further cuts will follow." MARK STEYN

Z: Should this be condoned in America just to appease muslims in this country? Why is it that it's only since 9/11 this is coming up? WHAT DO YOU THINK, GeeeeeZ readers??
Thanks, Pris, your opinion is well stated and I hope people wake up!
z

Obama....robbing kids of their HOPE with his CHANGE (and yours$$$)

If you haven't already read the Obama speech to the University of Michigan graduating class Saturday, please click HERE and at least read the points I highlighted in black.
Priscilla writes this speech to the same kids, and all American kids, and I think you might appreciate her speech better than his. Would that America's kids would hear this:

To the young people of America

I'd like to ask the young people of America if they want to be successful or limited as to their possibilities of success. Do they want to have their dreams smashed before they even have a chance to fulfill them? Wouldn't they like to earn as much money as these rich politicians who want to keep them down?

President Obama and the liberals in Congress are appealing to our young people for their support and seeking their votes in the coming election this November. He wants them to come out for Democrats once again as they did in 2008.

At the same time, he and the Democrat Party are working towards taxing the “rich“ so they can redistribute their wealth to those who earn less than the middle class.

My question to our youth is, do you not have dreams to excel at your chosen profession or occupation, and to become successful, or yes, even wealthy? Do you want to work hard to make that happen only to be told by the government at some point that you’ve earned enough? Who decides what’s enough? In a free country, you would decide. In President Obama’s world view, you do not have that right.

In my youth and succeeding years there was something called the “American Dream”. In my personal dream, I wanted a family, a middleclass life, and a home of our own. I, along with my husband, wanted an opportunity to be able to save our own money to have the ability to govern our own lives and to eliminate being a burden on our children.

That was our American Dream and we attained it even though we began our journey with nothing more than hope, determination, and the knowledge it was up to us and nothing would stand in our way but our own limitations if we allowed them to. The government did not stand in our way.
Today, that dream is in question. Today, the same people who would limit your expectations are the ones who ask for your votes. Perhaps you can’t see it now while you’re in college, or beginning at your work. Perhaps you believe in that ideal of helping others, and that’s fine. But, in a free environment that is your choice, not the government’s.

Do you want to be forced through high taxation and regulation to be limited so that others may prosper as a result of your hard work?Or should those who receive these benefits earn their own just as you're willing to do? If you believe the former, then why work so hard? Why not suppress those dreams you may not be allowed to attain? When you have children wouldn’t you prefer they be the beneficiaries of your work and sacrifice?

I suggest you have an important choice to make in November. You can choose to limit your own future, and vote for those liberals who would limit you, or you can choose a path to keep the American Dream alive for you, your ambitions, and for the children you may not yet have. I ask you to think ahead. I ask you to consider your own parents and what they have been able to provide for you, and which you may be prevented from providing for your children.

Finally, you have the gift today of a wonderful, free country in which opportunity lies ahead if you’re willing to take advantage of it. There are those in power at this very moment, who are poised to take that from you and have indeed begun that endeavor.
Question their motives. Question why they would rob you of the freedom and prosperity past generations have enjoyed. Is their power over your life more just than that which our Founding Fathers decreed is your unalienable right from our creator, for life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness?
You have the power in your hands to make a difference in your future and the future of America. It is my hope that you choose to dismiss those politicians who now wish to control every aspect of your lives, indeed your future, and that you choose to remain free to decide your own.

Z: Thanks so much for writing this, Pris. I feel so badly for the kids who will never hear this message and who'll still believe in the kind of thinking Obama shares with those in power today until it's too late.........little will graduates today know what they missed, what they never learned, what they were not taught to consider, that they were not really taught to think....some of them will never know an honest media, or respect for others' thinking......... we need to do something about this.

A new Priscilla's Post........Republicans, put up or shut up

It's time for the GOP to put up or shut up. This is a suggestion from a Reagan conservative who is aware of the fact that while, from a distance, the GOP is enjoying the benefits from the Tea Party grassroots movement, it plays a risky game of recruiting moderate Republicans. While conservative Republicans like Rubio, Toomey, DeVore, and Lt. Col. Allen West, are enjoying the support of the conservative Republican base, the entrenched Republican guard and power brokers of the party are working at cross purposes.

It seems to be that the Republican Party has forgotten the Reagan credo of, "to think in bold colors, not pale pastels". I would remind the party of Ronald Reagan that playing not to lose, instead of playing to win, is a losing game. At best, it is a weak and risky game.
A leader plays to win. A leader has a confident voice, stands for what's right, and speaks the truth. Right now in America, the truth is there is a voice from the American people speaking truth to power, if only those who purport to love our country and enjoy their position to make a difference will adhere to it.

That voice is loudly saying our freedoms are in jeopardy. The future of our children as unencumbered, free, autonomous individuals is in question. Will they begin their journey in America carrying the yoke of unthinkable debt left to them by their forebearers, or will they be
relieved of it by conservative, dedicated men and women who care more for their country, and their people, than they do for their political comforts.
We are at a crossroads and can no longer hope for the best. We have to make it happen. If the Republican Party is to be the instrument to push back the tide of corruption and power hungry interlopers, it must decide that it's fortunes are tied to ours. It must decide to do the right thing by the American people, and that is to lead this country out of the morass we find ourselves in. It's no longer good enough to play it safe with the right words while compromising our principles as Americans.
We have had enough of Democrat Lite. No more sitting on the fence with weak protestations. It's time to stand up and be counted or get out of the way. It's time for conservatives to rise up and take charge. Leadership is the key. People vote for winners. They will vote for positive, genuine Americans as opposed to strategists, tacticians, and disingenuous wordsmiths.
It's now or never Republicans, DO YOU HEAR US? Tomorrow may be too late.
Priscilla
Thanks, Pris........Amen to that.
z

Priscilla's Post ..... Every American should read this.....especially our young people

Here's another piece by our Priscilla....I thought this was a great way to start the week....here she goes:

This is a short story about making it in America. It’s about faith in our country, and the opportunities that arise if you’re willing to be patient, take advantage of those open doors, and if you know in your heart it’s possible.

All you have to do is allow yourselves to believe, work hard, and look ahead. For some it’s easier than others, but never doubt you can do it and enjoy the ride. We did it the hard way, not all young people start with nothing. We did. But, we had each other, and that was what mattered most.

Mr. Pris worked two jobs for sixteen years and, at the same time, served 12 years in the National Guard. During his service, he found he could attend Officer’s Candidate School, (OCS) so he did. An open door, and he walked through it and became an officer.

At the same time, he worked for an aerospace company. He had the opportunity to work in an intelligence group and he took it. Another open door, and he walked through that one. Ultimately, he worked his way up to a prestigious career in intelligence.

We bought our first home seven years after we married, with our two little children in tow. I didn't have my very own new car until we were married for 26 years, and happily did without a lot of goodies in order to be home raising our children. All the while, we always moved forward step by step.

We never wanted help. Once when we bought our first house, we borrowed money from a relative and we paid it back with the same interest she was earning in her bank. She told us “no you don’t have to pay me interest“, but we would not have it any other way. Since that time, we bought a second home and here we stayed. We saved our money and now we are comfortable and not even close to rich. But, we have enough.

Married at eighteen, we did it ourselves, and Mr. Pris did more than his share. Today, our President says we’re selfish. Well, I'll never say I'm sorry! We owe no one anything. Now, it seems we're stuck paying for people who can help themselves. If they refuse to do so, tough! They haven't earned or learned a damn thing.

But, you know what? They don’t know what they’re missing, and I’m here to tell them, everyday you are your own master, you win.

Pris

A very ANGRY Z follows this excellent new addition of Priscilla's Post on the Health Care vote.....

When Franklin D. Roosevelt was President, the Democrats did agree to much of what we're suffering from today, but, I think the left wasn't what it is today. The Congress did stop him from loading the Supreme Court, and they did vote to limit the Presidency to two terms. I think they did that because they saw the power Roosevelt was attempting to wrest from Congress and the people.

Today, the left is a real threat to this country. More powerful, more entrenched and ruthless, and I think during the late 30's and early 40's there were Democrat statesmen who believed in the Constitution and had the influence to call a halt to Roosevelt's power grab.

Yes, the sun will come up, etc. But if this bill passes, America will be changed forever. Furthermore, if Obama and the Democrats successfully use the Slaughter rule, they will use it again unless the planned suit stops them. This would effectively nullify the sixty vote filibuster. We're experiencing what tyranny is at this very moment. Some seem a bit resigned to this, and that is a mistake.

Here is what Dennis Prager said. He said, "If this passes Sunday, regardless of how it passes, it will be the beginning of a second civil war". Not a violent one, but a civil war nonetheless. I agree with him. I've felt it coming as if it's inevitable.

Thirty seven states are set to sue the federal government to opt out of this health care bill. That's a shot across the left's bow. So now, we have to pray hard that the resistance remains and becomes a force they can no longer ignore. My greatest concern is that those now in power may become more militant, and descend into violent suppression. But, we cannot give up. Never. If that should happen, God help us all....By Pris

Thanks SO much for another terrific Priscilla's Post, Pris...well done. I want to add something since I read this and am hearing the television in the other room:

I don't know if any of you are watching the Democrat pep rally right now, but Harry Reid just referred to Pelosi as "The greatest leader of the House in America's history". This is the kind of mentality we're dealing with....to be 'great' the Democrats apparently believe you must be excellent at deals behind closed doors, lying to the public, and excluding the other party and telling the media to tell Americans the other party wouldn't get involved, not could not. Also, IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL TO HAVE AN EARMARK SAYING THAT ONLY THE GOVERNMENT CAN GIVE STUDENT LOANS NOW? IS IT CONSTITUTIONAL TO DEMAND THAT EVERY AMERICAN BUYS HIMSELF HEALTH INSURANCE? Does shredding the constitution really make a GREAT SPEAKER OF THE HOUSE?

I want to also add another thing here; It's going to pass, I can't imagine it NOT passing if Obama's there with Reid and Pelosi now and acting as if it's going to pass; he couldn't risk this, otherwise. BUT, as fearful as I am about what this bill will do, I'm more fearful that we have a president and others who actually think the American government can do a good job running health care and that it actually will save us money!! Amazing that they can't figure out that 30,000,000 more on the dole and many fewer doctors will work. I can't say much more right now, I'm hearing Obama and he's been so utterly INSULTING to this country that I have no comment....except to add that he is TRULY the first American president to disrespect us so much that I hear him now actually suggesting we will be able to keep our health insurance. After Blue Shield has to close because of what he's done and mandated, I'll be out of insurance. Will you? Is he this uninformed or only this dishonest and desperate? And, he's bashing cable television again....you know that's not CNN cable viewers, don't you. He's bashing for their supposed "fear mongering" and "misinformation", saying the Right's afraid that this whole program might work and the Dems will be a huge success. I'm done. Some president, huh? I hear him now saying "If you think the status quo is better, you shouldn't vote for this bill." It's either this bill or we're doomed?? Some thinking going on there, huh? Tell me what you think.
z

To WIN in NOVEMBER.....a long-awaited new "Priscilla's Post"

To Win in November

Conservatives are on the march. Tea parties, town hall meetings, disillusion among Americans about the Obama administration and overreach on the part of leftist extremists, all add up to a chance in a lifetime to stem the tide of left wing, power hungry politicians who are determined to reach the heights they have dreamed of for a very long time.
The ball is now in our court. The game is on, and the far left is out from under the radar. We are challenged to remain calm, and dedicated to winning and running our opponents off the court. To accomplish this, first we have to decide the goal is to defeat our opponents. We cannot afford the luxury of narrowing our goals to a certain kind of win. A win is a win. However, we can raise the odds in our favor, if we’re careful and thoughtful about it.
About Scott Brown. I think for Massachussetts, he is a conservative. He has said he's opposed to the Healthcare Bill and Cap and Trade. If he remains true to those promises, then he will have proven to be true to his word.
Coakley had announced she'd vote for the healthcare bill. She lost and that's the important thing. That's a sea change in Massachussetts. A Republican won the seat. That matters. He won with help from tea party activists. That matters too. It shows that the people are organizing and have clout when we work together. Some conservatives are lamenting Brown’s vote for a fifteen billion dollar stimulus (jobs) bill. That is lamentable, but not fatal. Brown is from a very blue state, yet he won.
Now, if one is going to be such a conservative purist as to throw the baby out with the bathwater, we'll end up behind the proverbial eight ball. We must do everything we can to influence the vote for solid conservatives in Republican primaries. Once the winner has been chosen in that primary, I urge we support that candidate for election.
If we contribute and support solid conservatives in primaries, we have a good chance to pick up conservative seats in the House and the Senate.
To me, our goal should be, first and foremost, to defeat the liberal or leftist steamroller that has us in their clutches. If we pout, and withhold our support or stay home on election day because every candidate on the Republican tickets isn't conservative enough, we can look forward to two more, and possibly four more years of radicals in charge.
A lot of damage can be done during that time. Some of it, irreversible. It would take on a life of it's own. We have to remember one thing. As conservatives, we can lean on the Republicans and get results as we did on Immigration Reform. As it stands now, we have no clout when it comes to the Democrats. We may have some influence on blue dog democrats, but when push comes to shove, it’s a gamble which has already been shown to be less than successful.
This is not business as usual when it comes to politics, it's a fight against the far left. It's our future and our children's future which is at stake. Let's keep our eyes on the ball.
Here, I have a warning for Democrats in Congress. If they jam the healthcare bill through the process known as reconciliation, they will not merely lose some seats, they will face an election tsunami, the proportions of which will result in a clean sweep by Republicans.

The will of the American people must prevail if we are to remain a government of the people, by the people and for the people!....Priscilla
(thanks, Pris...I'm so proud to publish this)
z

Priscilla's Post.....she's right again

Federal Power to Take Over the Internet.

Senate Bill 773 is in the works as I write this. Among other things it gives the Government the power to shut down the Internet, including private users. It’s called the Cybersecurity Act of 2009.

While intelligence needs and secure sites are essential to the federal government, I see the shutting down of private users, in this capability the federal government seeks, as an abrogation of our right to free speech. This power was not sought after 9-11 and I see no need for it now.

This is another attempt of this administration for control of the private citizen. Their appetite for power is endless and insidious. I have no doubt the explanation for this new power grab will be termed essential for our national security. One has to ask himself why... and if the government sees American citizens as a threat as well.

It is the government sites which demand superior security. It is military security which would be vulnerable, and intelligence security. Surely those areas are under constant upgrading and must be protected. Cyber attacks would be directed at those sites. A cyber attack could come from any country in the world. If the President shut our entire internet capability down, it wouldn't stop or affect another country's ability to attack. If we shut down the government sites to protect security , what reason would there be to shut down our private sector?

This administration has demonstrated it’s willingness to silence their detractors, to keep information from the public and dissent from being discussed. Communication is vital to a well informed public. That may seem like a threat to a politician but it is not a threat to national security. This Act must not be passed. We do not need permission to communicate and we have the right to free speech, something that this President seems to disdain.

Interesting that the same people, the left, who used their freedoms under our system of rights to gain power, now want to shut those rights down. Interesting perhaps, but consistent with every leftist government in history and of today. The more things change, the more they stay the same.

Tyranny knows no bounds except those put up by the people. If we lose the ability to set boundaries between the federal government and the people we will lose everything.

To contrast this scenario, we attended a tea party convention Sunday evening. There, I saw people who celebrated freedom. Who love America. They didn’t scream “change” they called for taking our country back, and did it loudly and with determination. We waved our small American flags, a sea of them in that large auditorium.

It is legislation that I illustrated above which alarms us. Bit by bit, and piece by piece, our freedoms can be taken away. A bill here, an executive order there, an overzealous agency with the blessing of the President into yet another area of our existence. And suddenly, our country is gone. It is no longer America.

So, we have to fight the bills, the executive orders, and the ever reaching hand of a government which, in terms of power, cannot get enough. A thirst which refuses to be sated.

One speaker at the convention said, “this is war, the other side knows it, you don’t”. I believe the people in that audience do know it. Not a shooting war, but a war in terms of intensity, and of winning or losing. I choose winning.

Pris

A Comment worth sharing as a post......by Pris

My good friend and contributor Pris commented Monday morning to Ducky, our leftWINGer commenter. I say this only to make sure those of you who don't know Ducky will see why Pris has addressed him....This isn't about Ducky, it's simply a very good response to everyone who feels as he does, but the comments which inspired Pris are HERE. This is from Priscilla:

Here's how it worked on the medicareRX program, Ducky. Mr. Pris and I opposed that new spending program, and did not want to accept the medicareRX. We have a supplemental insurance policy as part of his retirement package, and we pay a little over half the cost of that supplement, the company pays the balance. Mr. Pris's former employer informed us we had to accept medicareRX or our supplemental insurance policy would be canceled. Period. See, Ducky? Short and sweet. Use it or lose it! Now, if you think if government healthcare goes into effect, that companies all over the country won't cancel their insurance coverage for employees and leave millions with no other option but government healthcare, you're either a dreamer, or downright stupid. Tort reform would be a good start in cutting costs. Funny, the administration has nixed that out of hand. In fact, cutting bureaucracy, not adding to it, would cut costs too. How you can consider a 1000 page bill full of layers of bureaucracy, a way to contain costs, is the insanity Ducky, not citizens who know they're being taken for a ride, big time! The biggest cost of all? Freedom of choice, autonomy of free citizens. I thought you lefties believed in freedom of choice, no? I guess that only applies to killing babies.

I thought Pris made a lot of sense and more people needed to read her comment than probably did.

My friend Mike in Indiana said something pretty clever over the phone Sunday: Leftwingers used to want to take care of us "From Cradle to Grave", now they want to take care of us "From Abortion to Euthanasia" Good one, eh?

You think Pris is right? I sure do. (Thanks, Priscilla..as always, you hit it out of the park)
z

Priscilla's Post (it's been too long since we had one, right? Well, it was worth waiting for) I have added Klaus's response from this morning

Priscilla writes this to Klaus, our friend in Germany who, with Mr. Z, wrote that post about how Germany would handle czars and health care bills if they happened to have that going on there now (just a few posts down) Also, at the end of this letter, I printed the email I just received from Klaus to Priscillla. Of course, I believe both writers here are speaking to us ALL, so I'm printing as they come):

To Klaus, (THIS PACKS A PUNCH, FOLKS....READ ON!)

What we have at the head of our government are thugs. They're shredding the constitution and the spirit of what is the American way.
We might as well have been taken over by a coup d'etat. The politicians in congress should respond to these tactics with a mutiny.
But, they go along, either because they themselves are physically afraid, or afraid of what information may be trotted out about them or against them. That's called blackmail. Thugs rule. Thugs "make you an offer you can't refuse"!
You should know that the American people elected this man, I believe, in an emotional, well meaning desire to make things right with the making of an historical first in America; A black president who seemed to be the genuine article in terms of wanting the best for America.
They ignored his associations, lack of experience, and could not see what many others of us saw. A man who rose too quickly to prominence from seemingly modest circumstances. A man who, in a substantive sense told us little of what he believed, and what, specifically, he wanted for America.
He repeated his mantra of “change” and “yes we can”, so that I think there was almost an hypnotic call to believe in him, but they did not ask, “change” to what? “Yes we can“, do what? I must tell you, for me, it was rather frightening to see a mindless response of millions of people. It has happened before down through history, and once again has been repeated. Yes it is indeed a truism, history does repeat itself. Not long ago, it happened in Venezuela, before that, years ago, in Cuba. It is nothing new.

But, in America? The land of the free? Yes. The reason being, people believed what they wanted to believe.

There were revealing moments. Many of us took note, many more did not or dismissed the naysayers. They wanted to follow this piper, and follow they did.

We have checks and balances in our form of government, but because there is one party in power, in two branches of our government, they hold sway, and the most powerful among them are of like minds with the President. So, they trample over our system and the American people with breakneck speed, before we can absorb information and engage in debate. We are lied to, misled, and overwhelmed. They are thugs.
More and more though, we see resistance to this leadership, and signs the people are waking from their apathy. I hope and pray it’s not too late. Our children deserve the same legacy we inherited from our mothers and fathers.
And that is simply, to be a free people, unencumbered by those elected representatives we have given the honor of not ruling us, but, serving us, and respecting us.

I have a request of you and your people. Pray for us. America as we have known her, is in jeopardy, and we are in need of strength, and God’s grace.

Thank you, Priscilla. Thank YOU, Priscilla.......I know you speak for a lot of us. Here is Klaus's email I got this morning, Thursday:

Dear Priscilla:

I read your detailed comments with great interest. Thank you so much. Here, from Germany, I'm obviously not as close to the daily political events in the U.S. Nevertheless, I also recognize from here what political hazards the people in the United States have to deal with at present.

However, I am of the opinion that with all the disastrous events, a distinction should be drawn whether they are GOVERNMENT-caused or SYSTEM-caused (existing law, constitution, rules, guidelines etc). System-caused dangerous and fundamental errors and deficiencies, established, approved, or at least tolerated by all political parties , cannot be simply dismissed by the voters, a dismissal the voters can do to political parties and its leaders through their votes, of course.

That is why I was even more afraid when I had to learn from Z and what I read here in the German papers about how laws are sometimes passed so quickly and unread, and undebated, in congress.
As long as we "merely" have to deal with political leaders and parties we will ALWAYS have the chance for change (but different to the BHO style- ergo a re-change !). As I said before ( with the limited insight of an alien, but one who does read a lot and consider a lot of the American news here) the most important issue is to wake up more of those people who are BH-mesmerized and to help to reduce the percentage of voters which ignore matter of facts and are too lazy to think, preferring to "let think" by others.
It is wonderful and deserving of thanks that there are people like Z , you, and others who take care of such needs.
Good luck and success, Klaus

Z: I just got this in an email and felt it fit: "It will be worthy of a free, enlightened, and, at no distant period, a great Nation, to give to mankind the magnanimous and too novel example of a People always guided by an exalted justice and benevolence." --George Washington, Farewell Address, 1796

Thanks, Klaus and Priscilla, I've enjoyed this exchange and hope our readers did, too! z

A New Priscilla's Post...Schools and Unions, the beginning:

I asked Priscilla to write a piece based upon stories she'd told me about unions and her childrens' schools 40 years ago. This is when things started to go bad....this is when Miss Landers left our schools for good.

It was spring of 1969. Most of the teachers at my childrens' elementary school had spent days telling the children about going on strike, forming a union and essentially, putting their spin on it. The students didn’t learn much concerning their curriculum during that period of time.

My daughter’s teacher did not engage in this. The reason being he did not agree with it, and did not join the strike. My son’s teacher, however, did. My son, who was eight years old, was clearly worried and upset, although he felt relieved when his teacher told the class she would not leave and go out on strike. He liked her very much.

When he had apprised me of what the class was being told, I went to the school and spoke with his teacher, telling her I thought it was inappropriate to be using class time on their union agenda and what they wanted to gain from it. That, after all, these were eight year olds, and they shouldn’t have to deal with this sort of thing. She was polite, but, noncommittal.

I decided at that point that I would walk with him to his classroom, instead of dropping him off, just in case. He kept telling me, it was ok because she wasn’t going to walk out.

Sure enough a couple of days later, the teachers were on their picket line outside the school, including his. The principal wanted all the children to go to the auditorium, but I told him I was taking my son home. I wasn’t going to have him warehoused in the auditorium all day, and the principal agreed that since I was there it was fine to take him home. As if he could stop me.

When we got in the car, my boy began to cry, looked at me, befuddled and said, “mommy, she lied to us”. I said “I know, and that was wrong”. I hugged him and we went home. I was hopping mad, and two days later I was on the sidewalk with other parents demonstrating against the teachers and the union. I had taken my son to a friend’s house because I didn’t want him exposed to this activity.

His teacher nastily yelled at me, “well Mrs. Pris, you’ve come a long way”, and I walked across the street with my sign in hand and told her, “I didn’t lie to my son, you did”. Another parent, a friend, had followed me and walked with me over there with the teachers while they told us they had a right to strike, as we told them this was hurting the children, and that public employees did not have a right to strike.

We walked back across the street. The teachers yelled and called us “scabs“, “go home”
“get out of here,” “you’re ignorant”, There was some foul language as well which I will omit. A couple of Moms yelled back, “go back to your classes”, but for the most part we ignored their insults. Many of us mothers were on the executive board of the PTA, including me, and had worked with these teachers, helped them out, raised thousands of dollars to buy equipment for their classrooms and playground, and generally got along great. We gave them a faculty luncheon every year to show our appreciation.

When the school secretary arrived in her car and tried to pull into the driveway the teachers pounded on her car, yelling at her, tried to stop her from pulling in, and behaved like hooligans.

The office secretary was a lovely woman who worked for the principal, and was not obliged to go on strike, but, they didn’t care. Children were lined up on the other side of the fence, watching all this. The principal was cowering in his office, instead of keeping the children away from this chaos.

He called me into his office to ask me to please convince the parents outside to go home, and told me, “you wouldn’t want to be called scabs would you?” I told him they could call me whatever they want, I wasn’t leaving and neither were the rest.

He ended up handing me the union contract to take home and read. I didn’t ask for that, and was surprised. Yes, he was a stupid man.

I returned it the next day after reading it until two in the morning. Among other things, included in the contract was a demand that they have more say regarding the curriculum. I explained that we voted for a school board to do that.

When the strike was over, my son had missed a month of school. They wanted us to send our children to school during summer vacation. I refused. So did others. The atmosphere at the school was never the same as it had been before. No more the friendly occasional chats between those teachers and PTA moms. We were treated pretty badly.

When the time came to plan the faculty luncheon we were informed by the representative teacher they would tell us what they wanted to eat. The luncheon was a pot luck provided by the parents. I told this teacher we weren’t taking orders and would do what we always did.

None of them ever volunteered to help out with the fundraising activities again. The school was now totally politicized. They tried to begin their own parent’s group, to edge out the PTA. They ended up with a parent’s advisory board, but the same women who were active in PTA, were on that.

The union was responsible for ridding the school of the dress code, which many of us opposed them in doing, and tried to stop, but it was out of our hands. The flag at the next evening program at school was no longer on the stage where it had always been. My husband gave the principal an earful and the flag was put back after that and not removed again.

All in all it was a sad situation. The union has become more and more powerful, and parents have had less and less influence, until today I feel parents aren’t really that welcome on school grounds, but tolerated.

In recent years, I picked up my grandson at school every day. The place was practically devoid of most teachers five minutes after the final bell rang. The curriculum is developed and put into practice as if parental concerns don’t matter. There is no continuity between school and home. Parental authority is undermined even challenged, and sadly, many parents have abrogated their responsibility in many ways too.

I have to say, I lost a lot of respect for teachers as a group and judged on a more individual basis taking nothing for granted.

I still maintain that the children are not sent to school to provide jobs for teachers and administrators; they are sent to school for those people to provide an education for the children. The politics involved in all this leave the children as merely pawns in an ugly and political game that is more about power than education.

Z: And, of course, I know Pris would agree that it's also become more "indoctrination than education". That seems to be the 'education' of our days. And you can see how it started.....imagine teachers having children see THEM in civil disobedience? Or, put a technical legal term aside, maybe it isn't that at all, maybe it's just plain forgetting about manners and how children should look up to their teachers, not see them acting like children? In the Leave it to Beaver days, a bit before my school days but not much, children looked up to their teachers and teachers relied on the parents for input and help.

Thanks, Priscilla...good insight, a true tale of how we missed the boat. Frankly, I'd take everything about life on LEAVE IT TO BEAVER over ROSEANNE any day of the week. In about every way. But, sadly....so many Americans took the slob's route of least resistance. Easier to scratch your *** than put gloves on and look presentable. Easier to let the kids just get by than really take an interest. I'm generalizing, but.........

z

Priscilla's Post ....Another great one!

A Gathering Storm....Mexico's newest threat to us

It has been reported that the State Dept. issued a warning that American citizens, if they should travel to Mexico, should limit their visit to only business or tourist areas. Violent crime along the U.S.-Mexico is particularly dangerous and getting worse.

Nice huh? Now, what's going to stop the Mexican drug lords from coming here? The report stated that drug cartel people are coming here and recruiting. The politicians have done little to stem this tide, and now I wonder how much worse it has to get before they DO SOMETHING! How many ways do we have to be vulnerable? And we have a babe in the woods in the White House! He's only prepared to be tough on.........us. I'm almost ready to grab my torch and pitchfork!!!

More than 6000 people were killed in drug violence in Mexico last year. In Ciudad Juarez signs were left on bodies saying they had promised to kill one officer every 48 hours until the police chief resigned. This is an area across the Rio Grande from El Paso Texas. Folks, it’s only a matter of time, before we here in the U.S. find ourselves in the middle of drug wars, with drug cartels controlling large parts of our cities.

We have complained, cajoled, and begged for our politicians to protect our borders and the American people from this onslaught. Their answer so far, has been amnesty. The Immigration Reform Bill which we effectively defeated, I’m sure temporarily, actually merely asked illegal alien gang members to sign a paper swearing they would no longer belong to a gang. Well now, that’s reassuring isn’t it. People who kill others for fun, I’m sure, will abide by that!

We have enough of our own home grown criminals, we do not need anyone else’s. This portends of chaos and further degradation of our cities, we cannot tolerate importing more crime. If Mexican drug cartels are successful in recruiting here, they will ostensibly own urban areas all over the U.S. Now couple this with terrorist cells and Islamist threats and I don’t have to tell you what our country will be facing. Meanwhile we have sanctuary cities, appeasers too numerous to mention among our elites and politicians, and a refusal from too many police chiefs, city councilmen, and judges to deal seriously with this problem.

Basically, it appears that, more and more, we are on our own. The people we elect seem unconcerned about us, the American people. Oh, they pay all this lip service, but you and I know nothing will be done. At least until some terrible disaster that costs enough lives to get their attention. And, even then, just look at how quickly 9-11, for too many, is a faded memory. President Bush took them on and has been verbally crucified for it. We are in a perilous position. Is anyone listening?

Priscilla, thanks so much for this warning...so well said. But, how can we expect crooks to fear us as a country and respect our laws when those laws say one thing but cities (even Washington DC!) call themselves 'sanctuary cities' and the laws don't apply?! How long can America stay alive when we're the dirty door mat?? The Mexican cartels will blend with La Raza, etc., and with Islamist terrorists, and then what?

CAN AMERICA SURVIVE?

z

Happy Birthday, Priscilla!

Today is Priscilla's Birthday!
Please join me in wishing my wonderful column contributor and friend a FABULOUS birthday!

Priscilla's Post...........from our special guest contributor!

Goodbye Mr. President

I preface my remarks here by saying that September 11, 2001 so influenced my priorities as to what I expected from my government and the President of the United States that, for me, the War on Terror and the Islamic-fascists, became and still is, priority number one.
I find disagreement with President Bush on some other issues, but on the one which I feel is most urgent and threatens our very survival, I am in agreement.

President Bush chose to go on offense in this war and to do everything in his power to protect this nation and her people. He did so under constant opposition and assault from the left here at home and around the world. He did so while tolerating a drumbeat of accusation, vitriol, the consistent undermining of his actions, and a lackluster support from his party.

He did so while some, or someone, in the CIA leaked classified information which the press printed on the front pages of their newspapers, complicating the management of the war. At every turn in this endeavor, we heard “failure” from his adversaries. We heard “incompetence“, accusations of lies, ugly name calling, and generally speaking, actions by his detractors which emboldened the enemy.

Yet the President stayed the course and there have been times he appeared to be alone in this mission. I blame the Republican Party for it’s silence at times when they could have had the courage to stand up and loudly proclaim their support.

I expected nothing from the Democrat Party after the first months of this war. Therefore, I’ll waste little time on a party which would risk defeat for America in the name of gaining power for themselves. They are not worthy of my attention.

As a layperson I accept that there have no doubt been mistakes made in this fight. However I am not qualified to carp about tactics and strategy in war. I reject the “expertise” of arm chair generals who are not privy to classified material or the complexities involved in decisions regarding life or death in war.

In Iraq, the President changed strategy. It was dubbed “the surge“. Immediately anti-war voices, the press included, were heard to say it would fail. That we had lost. They were wrong. President Bush forged ahead, determined to have victory in Iraq. He endured the slings and arrows as he has during the entirety of his Presidency. His resolve in this has been unwavering.

Yes, we have more fighting to do in Afghanistan. That is to be expected because it is the nature of terrorists and terrorism. They are tenacious, and will not accept defeat easily. As the President said after 9-11, this fight will go on for decades. The only question now is, will we continue the fight after January 20th?

I know this. We have not suffered an attack in America in the seven years since 9-11. This is now mentioned by the press and others, in passing, as if it is not a huge achievement. I consider it something akin to amazing. The President put methods in place which gave us an advantage in preventing another attack. He has engaged cooperation in this endeavor of other countries. It has not been a matter of mere luck.

For this, I say, thank you Mr. President. You have saved American lives due to your diligence and dedication to doing so, and in the face of lawsuits, and loud cries of opposition and fear mongering. I thank you too, for shouldering this burden in our name, with grace and dignity. Finally, I respect your willingness to forego political expedience, for the greater good, and the safety of the American people.

With that, I wish you and Mrs. Bush, all the best, and the luxury of serenity as you leave behind the burdens of the Presidency. A special note of appreciation for Mrs. Bush who, as First Lady, represented the people and you with a gracious and supportive commitment which has been above reproach.

Goodbye Mr. President, and God bless you, from a grateful American.

Priscilla

PRISCILLA's POST...she's back!! And she's RIGHT

The question is this. Has Senator McCain run a bad campaign, or has the media attempted to guide everyone to that conclusion? Was there an October Surprise? There sure was. In fact, was there a confluence of events that encompassed more than just October.

I think events had a lot to do with McCain's problems. He was beginning to gain again until a week ago, when the stock market fell 500 points in one day just as people were beginning to think the recovery was beginning to emerge.

Before the economic collapse and bailout, it was gas prices. I don't believe this is all coincidence, not just circumstances, the timing was too perfect to be sheer happenstance. It worked against McCain.

It isn’t unreasonable to assume that OPEC could have an effect on the election by lowering oil production and driving up prices. Anything negative, with a deleterious effect on Americans, would be associated with Bush, and indirectly with McCain, helped so predictably, and successfully by the Democrat and Obama drumbeat blaming the administration.

When the "drill now" campaign began and McCain adopted it, it captured the populace in a positive way. It was winning people over, and suddenly, gas prices began to drop, oil production began to rise, taking some of the steam out of the "drill now" movement and out of McCain’s campaign. The media explained it away by saying people were driving less. Maybe, partly, but we only have their word for it don’t we. Nobody I know was driving less, how about you?

We have to remember, too, that a lot of the people who don't like McCain, are disaffected Republicans. If it weren't for Sarah Palin they would have remained disaffected. Many were threatening not to vote until Palin was on the scene. Enter the Obama and media smear machine. They had to try to discredit her. It may have worked with some, but the base loves her. The fact is, she transformed the campaign.

The bottom line is, there are very powerful people with billions of dollars, including in the Middle East, who have greased the way for Obama. Six hundred million dollars worth to McCain’s eighty four million dollars. They can also have an effect on the market, big time. Be very suspicious. Their power should frighten every American.

Those huge bucks can also buy a lot of voters, put them on a lot of buses and have thousands of people at Obama's rallies. His campaign is imploring people to vote early with absentee ballots at their rallies. There is no longer a true Election Day. What's going on borders on anarchy. This election is being bought. The fact McCain is as close as he is strikes me as nothing short of miraculous.

What McCain supporters have to do is disbelieve the polls and the media. Surely the leftist media and pollsters haven’t changed their spots so close to the finish line. Why would any rational person believe them now? On the whole, true journalism is dead.

Finally, I haven't given up. Even with all this, I haven't, and neither should you.

Trust yourself, and vote.

p