I still follow news. I still vote. I still express my opinion. However, I do not have time for political debate and discussion.

Visit me online at www.marchtozion.com! I am about to add a blog to it, but the conversation will be on much better topics.

After a few days, I will put up a “splash page” which will catch all traffic. I may return to blogging at a later time if I need an avenue in which to vent political frustrations. Until then – take care.

“There is a concerted effort to make this a political issue by some and I join those who have called for looking into how is this opposition to the mosque being funded.” – Nancy Pelosi

I think everyone (or mostly everyone) agrees that in America, any person has the right to practice any religion at any time, in any place. This is a good thing, especially to a Baptist like myself. My people were persecuted by both Catholic and Protestant Church States throughout the centuries. I am thankful for religious liberty! For me, as a Baptist, to have religious liberty, false religions like Islam (or any other false religion, for that matter) must also have religious liberty.

I also think it foolish for Muslims to want a religious center built over the ruins of largest attack by Islamic Extremists in our country. I have expressed this thought on my blog before. It is not a wise decision and Americans are sickened by their disregard of our feelings on this matter.

This video below is a sound clip of Nancy Pelosi calling for an investigation into the opposition of the Mosque. In other words, we all oppose the Mosque being built in Ground Zero New York because of some greater conspiracy. Yeah, right. This lady is out of touch with reality.

Below is the clip.

Both of these charts are un-doctored charts of the Dow Jones (c/o Google). The first begins when the Republicans took congress for the first time in decades at the beginning of 1995. The second begins when the Democrats took back congress in 2007.

Congress makes the budget. Congress writes legislation. Yes, a President is involved in policy, but the specifics are left to Congress.

Dow under a Republican Congress:

Dow Jones under a Democrat Congress:

Some dates to note include September 11, 2001. This damaged our economy but we recovered.

Notice, however, the difference in the economy under modern Republicans and Democrats. Under a Republican Congress, America prospered. The numbers generally moved in an upward direction. Under a Democrat Congress, the numbers generally moved in a downward direction.

Rather than regurgitating the stories to you, check the links out for yourself. Suffice it to say, our nation is far from a recovery and the current Government’s policies are sure to prolong the problems, if they don’t continue to make them worse.

Deficit Grows by $165,000,000,000 in July:

The U.S. government spent itself deeper into the red last month, paying nearly $20 billion in interest on debt and an additional $9.8 billion to help unemployed Americans.

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748704901104575423601722830706.html

Foreclosures are up 6%:

The number of U.S. homes lost to foreclosure surged in July, another sign lenders are moving quicker to take back properties from homeowners behind in payments.

http://apnews.myway.com/article/20100812/D9HHQE2O0.html

Jobless claims rise:

The employment picture is looking bleaker as applications for jobless benefits rose last week to the highest level in almost six months.

http://finance.yahoo.com/news/New-claims-for-unemployment-apf-3180551258.html?x=0&.v=1

Now to add insult to injury, here is a story reporting that Federal workers make double of their private sector counterparts.

At a time when workers’ pay and benefits have stagnated, federal employees’ average compensation has grown to more than double what private sector workers earn, a USA TODAY analysis finds.

http://www.usatoday.com/money/economy/income/2010-08-10-1Afedpay10_ST_N.htm

Don’t we feel all warm and fuzzy all over? I wonder if Chris Matthews still gets that “tingle” in his leg when he sees President O.

This brief summary is from Time:

Anthony Graber, a Maryland Air National Guard staff sergeant, faces up to 16 years in prison. His crime? He videotaped his March encounter with a state trooper who pulled him over for speeding on a motorcycle. Then Graber put the video — which could put the officer in a bad light — up on YouTube.

So, the guy videos a police officer writing him a ticket and now they are prosecuting him for it. They also searched his home and confiscated his computers.

Why? Apparently, police officers believe it is a violation of wiretapping laws if you record them in public. The problem with that, wiretapping laws apply to private conversation. A public roadway is just that, public.

Further, the freedom to report, write, video, etc. is a fundamental American right. Says who? Well, the First Amendment, which guarantees freedom of press. The rights of free press extend beyond CBS, NBC, ABC, and FOX.

Notice the hypocrisy of this on behalf of local municipalities though. They record the people whom they pull over from dash board cameras. Cities also issue tickets based upon footage from cameras mounted on traffic lights. So, they can video us but we can’t video them? Two words – Big Government!

What do you think?

So says Foxnews:

Missouri voters on Tuesday overwhelmingly rejected a key provision of President Barack Obama’s health care law, sending a clear message of discontent to Washington and Democrats less than 100 days before the midterm elections.About 71 percent of Missouri voters backed a ballot measure, Proposition C, that would prohibit the government from requiring people to have health insurance or from penalizing them for not having it.

The Missouri law conflicts with a federal requirement that most people have health insurance or face penalties starting in 2014.

Now what we need, is for every other state with common sense to stand with them by passing similar legislation.

Things like this really make me anticipate November!

As an Alabamian, my share of our state’s debt is $796. We are on the low end of the spectrum though. Connecticut takes the high spot at $4859 per person.

Check it out!

http://money.cnn.com/news/storysupplement/economy/state_debt/index.html

One of the nicest things is the rewarding feeling you receive while you eat food that you grew yourself (with God’s providence, of course). We have, so far, been able to harvest tomatoes, lettuce, purple hull peas, watermelon, cantaloupe, and okra. I got one bowl of green beans before it got hot. They don’t seem to produce as well when it stays above 80 degrees overnight. I would have more had a naughty yellow dog of mine not broken in and trampled some plants.

I think next year I will plant at least twice this years space. I used this season to learn. Next year I want to really try to grow a substantial portion of my families veggies. I like the idea of fresh “natural” food. I like saving money. Most of all, it is insurance in times of economic disaster.

Oh, and I am still trying to find a way to hide 4 or 5 hens somewhere in my yard for the eggs.

According to his attorney (via Foxnews):

“This ordinance doesn’t have a jail penalty, so normally for an ordinance like that the Chicago police would show up, if they believe a violation had occurred they would write you a ticket, and you would show up a month or two later at an administrative hearing,” Breen said. “It would be like getting a ticket for having a beer on the subway.”

“In these cases cops are actually taking these men, taking them into custody, booking them – that’s an arrest that goes on their record — keeping them for five hours, then finally releasing them,” he added. “So there are a couple of facets to this and our alarm bells really went off when we saw this treatment.”

First, this is unconstitutional. We have freedom OF religion, not freedom FROM religion. I can pray anywhere, at any time. Justice is on it’s head in a society that bans prayer at the exact place where women convene to murder their unborn children. God help us.

Break their teeth, O God, in their mouth: break out the great teeth of the young lions, O LORD. Let them melt away as waters which run continually: when he bendeth his bow to shoot his arrows, let them be as cut in pieces…The righteous shall rejoice when he seeth the vengeance: he shall wash his feet in the blood of the wicked. So that a man shall say, Verily there is a reward for the righteous: verily he is a God that judgeth in the earth. – Selected passages from Psalms 58

In a town hall meeting, Stark said the following when asked of the constitutionality of the Healthcare Reform Bill.

I think there are very few constitutional limits that would prevent the federal government from rules that could affect your private life.

And then moments later…

The Federal Government, yes, can do most anything in this country.

(Audience erupts with jeers)

I beg to differ! The Federal Government THINKS they can do most anything. How alarming is the Tyranny which now resides in the minds of our elected public servants. Jefferson would roll over in his grave.

In this video, you see a local Phoenix Arizona news channel reporting a protest downtown. What I want you to notice are the two flags being flown by the protesters. Neither were an American flag, oh no. One was a Mexican flag, which goes to prove my point that many of these people do not want to be Americans. They want to be Mexicans occupying American land. That concept is dangerous to our country on many levels, but the Mexican flag was not the troubling part.

The troubling part was the flag featuring Che Guevara’s face. Look carefully at the flag to the left of the Mexican flag in the in the video. The black and white face on the flag belongs to Che Guevara, who was a radical Marxist revolutionist and guerrilla fighter who died in 1967. That ought to sicken every red-blooded American.

Wake up folks!

(PS: The same flag was seen hanging in Obama campaign headquarters during the election)

According to a memo written by four Obama Admin staffers and obtained by Republican Charles Grassley, not us. It lists possible ways to give illegals amnesty without going through congress with actual legislation. Here is one troubling paragraph from The Washington Times:

“In the absence of comprehensive immigration reform, USCIS can extend benefits and/or protections to many individuals and groups by issuing new guidance and regulations, exercising discretion with regard to parole-in-place, deferred action and the issuance of Notices to Appear.”

In other words, a bureaucracy can bypass the legal, constitutional means of passing legislation and just “extend” benefits of citizenship to illegals.

Are you Obama voters having buyers remorse yet? This is the single most dangerous Administration to the “American Way” we may ever see. It is one thing to have liberal ideas. It is something totally different to disregard the fundamental workings of American government to push your liberal agenda.

Formerly, Mr Sessions had voted to approve Obama candidates for several positions, such as Eric Holder for Attorney General. This was very disappointing to me. When I wrote to him to express my dissatisfaction, he replied in letter that the President does have authority to pick his choice for these posts. Elections have consequences, if you will.

I am glad to see that his mind has hardened against Obama appointees.

The story, by Globalist News, shows cronies for California’s Mike Gatto expelling press from a public townhall meeting in a public library. Gatto is on California’s Assembly. What’s the big deal? Well, this little thing we call the First Amendment protects the press the right to operate.

Congress shall make no law…abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press…

Citizen, be weary of any elected official who places his demands over the law.

*Warning – there is one expletive near the end of the clip*

This does go to show you the things government will do if you are not watching them.

Check it out.

Hat tip to Eric in Moody for sending it to me.

The US Navy successfully used its Laser Weapon System in an air show off the coast of California.

According to the provided link, this is the first successful test aimed at a moving target, but there are probably years more of development before the system will be deployed by our military.

Still, how cool is that?

Check out the video:

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-501465_162-20011041-501465.html

In the video are two trumpeters, “the best” played by Al Hirt (in white, the good guy), and his challenger (in black, the bad guy). After being challenged by a flashy hotrod youngster, “the best” must prove his dominance as a trumpeter by a test of skill.

My favorite part is the belt full of mouthpieces…trumpeters will understand that.

After seeing the story, several of my friends wrote letters to their representatives. Here is one such story. You may find the two reactions he received interesting.

A recent event in Raleigh has me wondering just what our State Government officials are thinking. And, what We the People are allowing to happen.

A minister from Winston Salem, who was invited to open the House sessions with prayer for a week was sent home after offering only one prayer. When his written prayer was read, he … See Morewas told “We would prefer that you not use the name of Jesus. We have some people here that can be offended.” The minister refused to do so and the prayer was sent to the Speaker of the House, Mr. Hackney, who replied that he could pray that prayer on that Monday, but that his services would not be needed for the rest of the week. He was sent home. I admire this man for standing for what he believes.

I wrote both our representatives in Raleigh, Senator Bill Purcell and Representative Justin Burr. I told them that I disagreed strongly with this and that I felt that “Political Correctness” was a pervasive disease among politicians today. When one cannot invoke the name of our Lord Jesus in prayer, we have, in my opinion, gone too far toward “Political Correctness.” I asked both representatives one question: “Who was offended by the use of Jesus’ name in prayer in the Assembly?” In my career, I worked with and called on Jewish people up and down the east coast. I have some great Jewish friends in the northeast. I send them Happy Hanukkah cards and they send me Christmas cards. We respect and recognize the holidays that each belief observes. So, “Who was offended?”

I received an e mail from Senator Purcell telling me that this is the “general rule” so as not to offend anyone who might be in attendance. He also told me that he believes that my statement concerning “Political Correctness” was “a bit of a stretch.” That told me a lot about where he stands. We see things “sanitized” daily in the news, in print, and in business in the name of “Political Correctness.” If Senator Purcell is not aware of this, then he’s not as astute as he should be. This is North Carolina, not California!

I received a phone call from Justin Burr who stated his agreement with my feelings and he told me that he and a small group gather in the rear of the Chamber each day they are in session and recite the Pledge of Allegiance, including the part that states, “One nation under God.” They also pray and Jesus’ name is used in their prayers. I applaud Representative Burr and his colleagues for standing up for their beliefs.

The current wave of “Political Correctness” that is pervasive in Washington, DC is spreading to State and local governments it seems. How long before it will no longer be “Politically Correct” to pray at all? As Edmund Burke wrote, “All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is for a few good men to do nothing.” We are getting close to that day, in my opinion.

So, one answer to my question “Who was offended?” is ME! I am offended when the heartfelt sincere prayer of an individual is no longer acceptable in our government. I hope that you are offended also. If you are, let your representatives know your feelings.

Bravo Reggie! Now, if everyone else who names the name of Christ in that great state would call and send letters, this nonsense would cease.

By the way, there is no constitutional protection against being offended. You, nor I, have a right to go through life without being offended. The real moral of the story here, is liberal politicians don’t like your Christ and would rather you not mention him in their presence.

For the wrath of God is revealed from heaven against all ungodliness and unrighteousness of men, who hold [ie. suppress] the truth in unrighteousness…they are without excuse: Because that, when they knew God, they glorified him not as God, neither were thankful; but became vain in their imaginations, and their foolish heart was darkened. Professing themselves to be wise, they became fools… -Romans 1:18; 20-22, KJV