Comments for The American Telegraph

Comment on No. 52 – August 28, 2010 by ALP

ALP — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 23:08:22 +0000

Amen to all that, Larry! “Seeing the writing on the wall” is indeed crucial to one’s survival. Sounds like we’re on the same track on investing moves, cutting costs, drastically down-sizing, relocating to take jobs at age 70, etc. And as for buying new clothes, going to movies, entertainment sports, watching TV, Starbucks, bottled water, eating out, and all that consumerism, none of it applies to us. In fact, we haven’t been to a movie theatre since way before we married, and that was loooong ago. Thanks for sharing and all the best to you and Akiko.

Comment on No. 52 – August 28, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:44:47 +0000

Larry,
Duhhh. Thought I’d better clean up that incomplete sentence, to wit:

I picked up a phrase that I’ve shared with my kids and grandkids over the years and have, commensurate with my wife’s need to replace things I’d continue wearing and using beyond 3 times their useful life, attempted to apply it to my life.

Comment on No. 52 – August 28, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 15:41:11 +0000

Larry,
It seems we are kindred souls in more than our political philosophy. We share the gene for “cheap,” (that’s my wife’s term for me) but I much prefer “parsimonious” or “frugal”). )

As I read your list of frequented emporia and social and sartorial habits, I thought you were talking about me.

I’m still working on those skills at investing, however.

The phrase is “When your outgo exceeds your income, your upkeep will be your downfall.”

If I could, I’d tatoo that on the insides of the eyelids of every officeholder in America all the way to Washington.

Safe trip to Panama and I hope you’ll come back from time-to-time if it is only to go to Washington to visit your money.

Comment on No. 52 – August 28, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 14:55:10 +0000

Hello Larry-
Your foresight and frugality are to be commended. But it’s never really been a question of if the levee will break, but when. Bush supplied the dynamite and Obama pushed the plunger.
However: “we need ……………………………information.”
You’ve been down this same road many times in previous columns. Great ideas, shared by most of us constant readers I would presume. But voting Donkey or Elephant just doesn’t work. You end up with the same droppings on Capitol Hill every time.
So what are the real choices that we have? It’s either a viable third party or a revolution, or both. Personally I think revolution would be quicker and more efficient. I just hope that there are enough lamposts on Pennsylvania Avenue to get the job done.
That being said, we certainly wouldn’t want to lose you to Japan as we lost Alex Baldwin to France when Bush was elected. So whom would you suggest the Republicans nominate?

Comment on No. 52 – August 28, 2010 by John

John — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 09:12:26 +0000

What did you say, can you repeat that? hahaha, yes, are they really listening. I was told by a friend today that her husband was selling all stocks and buying gold. The market will fail! Well, from my point, it has. My money is paying me, but the market cannot even sustain the value these days. 30 years ago it would. It makes no difference to me as I need the money to live on. Just that it has do good enough for over 10 years, BUT it is running out because of what 9/11 did, and what the CEO’s have done to corporations, and what banks have done. You may have been pro-active, so was I, but the system is failing and still wants my tax money and prices going up but not my income. What Did you say, oh, I remember, go vote!!

Comment on Special Edition – August 23, 2010 by Nichol Fritz

Nichol Fritz — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 23:55:24 +0000

So why do we continue to reelect these people again and again? Party loyalty? Going along with what our unions, groups, organizations, etc. tell us to do? Yes, we need people with common sense and respect for the tax payer. Yes, it is time for a real change but we need to be educated American voters. We also need to respect each other and not just vote for who promises to do something for US. We also need to elect those who will not vote for bills that contain any Pork as what comes to us is taken away from someone else. We need to think before we spend and spend less. It can be done but we need to get out and vote for the best person for our city, county, state and country. God Bless America.

Comment on Special Edition – August 23, 2010 by Dean Carpenter

Dean Carpenter — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 21:30:41 +0000

Hey Larry, How heroic, takin all that heat. Such “B.S.” It is virtually common knowledge that only those whose taxable income exceeding $250,000.00 are going to be subject to the expiration of the Bush tax cuts. Those earning less than 250K got a reduction in their withholding this year. I guess that’s also “left leaning”. Also, any religion, including mine (I’m a practicing Roman Catholic), can be made to appear as a cult. A simple truth, there is no evidence that tax cuts for wealthy produce any positive economic results for 98% of americans. If cutting taxes for the wealthy helped the economy for regular folks we’d be swimmin in jobs at higher values of pay and budget surplusses for as far the could see. The opposite is true. We need more FDR. More Keynsians. Less Reaganomics, or voodoo eco. More Unions. More Progressives. Less Regressives. Pull your head out Larry. Quit carryin water for the growing corporate oligarchy. More Sen. Jacob Javits, Sen. Everett Dirksen. Less Mitch McConnel. By the by it was Republicans that put in the expiration dates on the Bush cuts. They knew they could only reward the top 2% for so long before the bill would come due. If we shut down the entire federal government tomorrow we still have 12 trillion in debt. Thanks a lot King George. The “Appionted One”. Of course none of this is going to matter to you folks, after all, what’s that got to do with a rec-center next to the strip-joint in soho. Oh, I’m sorry, I mean the Madrasa on ground zero. Stay up-beat gomers.

Comment on Special Edition – August 23, 2010 by Jeff Potter

Jeff Potter — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 18:13:55 +0000

I know this is all redundant as I have said it here before. I hate to keep beating a dead horse, so to speak, but the only power the IRS (or for that matter, any government agency) has over WE THE PEOPLE is the power we give them.

Every time I find myself in a discussion about this sort of thing, my pat response is always the same: “Stop paying them.”

Until this nation’s citizens finally decide they have had enough and stop being the spineless cowards they have become, we will continue to suffer the same rape by various government agencies time and time again. And my choice of words there isn’t an accident. If you don’t feel totally violated by what our government officials have been doing to you for decades (It’s not just this administration), then you are either an idiot or a confirmed masochist.

So what’s the answer? Right here and right now? Simply, every single American citizen who is paying taxes needs to send in only a certain percentage of what their income tax return requires. Let’s say it’s 70%. If we would all stick together and do that, that’s a great start.

Now, please understand that it cannot end there. Next, we must stand together and force our “leaders” to be much more accountable with the money they have to work with lest the most important areas of our economy suffer as a result of less income tax. That will mean different things to different people, but my thinking is something along the lines of supporting education and defense over bureaucracy. Toilet seats for the pentagon should not cost any more than a toilet seat for Jeff. $1500.00 is a bit excessive.

One problem with this kind of thing is that the very watchdog agencies that are set up to scrutinize these things find themselves becoming the same type of money eating monster over time. Government has simply been allowed to get too large. Still, 70% and better oversight of that money is a good place to start.

“The IRS will put me in jail.” No, they won’t you coward. If you take the time to do just a little bit of research, you will see that this is something that almost never happens to anyone for simple tax evasion. It has been used in RICO cases several times, but the underlying cause really had little or nothing to do with taxes.

“They’ll lien my property.” So what? If WE THE PEOPLE continue to move forward with a plan to abolish the IRS completely, it won’t matter. There will be amnesty provisions built in to absolve you of any and all tax liens at that time (if you and your elected officials continue to do the right thing). Oh, and if your elected officials don’t do the right thing, perhaps some way of holding them accountable and changing that may be in order…but wait…we already have that in place, don’t we? As Larry points out…VOTE.

We absolutely need a second revolution in this country. But this time it’s not a war that can be fought with bullets. It’s about money. And yet, it’s still about courage. The courage to do what needs to be done whether it’s comfortable or not. Wake up, sheeple. Go online and look up some Jeffersonian quotes. Follow his suggestions. In doing so, we can turn this country back into the great nation it once was.

I have said it before and I’ll say it again. I’m willing to help in whatever small way I can. If anyone has any ideas or suggestions, please pass them along to me. Larry has my contact information and I would love to hear from you. I hereby once again give him my permission to pass it along to anyone who wants it.

I want to organize and get a grass roots movement going, but I honestly don’t know how. I am not afraid. I do sincerely believe that if it gets rolling as it should and begins to threaten the status quo too much, I’ll be killed, but I am also okay with that. It may sound like a conspiracy theory, but what about the many times it has actually happened? If it’s real, is it still a “theory”?

It doesn’t matter, though. I have no fear of dying for a good cause. It’s not dying for my country that scares me…it’s living in it as it is now.

Comment on Special Edition – August 23, 2010 by Larry Stuler

Larry Stuler — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:08:15 +0000

The FED is now engineering the economy – the law itself evidences that the economy is engineered.
The FED bankrupted the gov’t in the 1930’s. This is easily evidenced by the correlation between the United States Code (USC) and the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR): title 11 USC, “Bankruptcy”, is implemented by title 11 CFR, “Federal Elections”. Our vote is simply to elect a bankruptcy “administration”. But it did not start with Jekyll Island – it started as soon as the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence.
The Declaration of Independence is the organic law of the land and its main tenet is that “all men are created equal”. Under such a tenet no person or group of people, including some group called government, may ever initiate force or fraud against any other person or group of people. The Constitution was adopted to form a gov’t that would uphold this tenet.
The international bankers (counterfeiters, now known as the FED) could not tolerate such a society where “all men are created equal”. They immediately set out to use force to get their way. When the Constitution was adopted, the frontier was basically west of the Allegheny Mountains. It was here that people were distilling their crops in order to ship their products to the East Coast. It became common for the alcohol to be used as a medium of exchange. Alcohol could be gauged and “proofed” – this led to an easy to understand medium of exchange. A pint of 80 proof alcohol could be worth a specific amount, while a quart of 100 proof alcohol would be worth another specific amount more.
This is when Alexander Hamilton, the insider placed by the bankers, wrote the Act of Congress that initiated “internal duties” in America – the tax on stills and the stills’ product, alcohol. Now as noted above, the gov’t did not have any authority to initiate force against an American since “all men are created equal”. The Constitution acknowledges this where in Article I, section 8 it grants the federal government jurisdiction over foreign commerce, interstate commerce, and trade with the Indians. The federal government has no jurisdiction over intrastate commerce since the law is based upon the tenet that “all men are created equal”. Alexander Hamilton told George Washington that the people in the western frontier were instigating a rebellion based on their opposition to the tax on alcohol. It became the known as the “Whiskey Rebellion”. The gov’t brought out the militia against its own citizens.
This Act of Congress that taxed stills states that the collectors of this tax would be the same as those previously charged to collect the taxes within the previous revenue acts – these were all importing and tonnage taxes. The previous revenue acts were collected by the customs. By hiding the fact that the tax was being collected by the customs, the bankers laid the ground for what is going on today. The federal gov’t is legislating today on two main premises – under foreign commerce and that everyone is a federal employee.
Bankrupting the federal gov’t wasn’t enough to make Americans pay the interest on the FED’s counterfeit money loans to the gov’t. Sovereignty lies with the individual American, not the gov’t.
To get around all of the chains that the Constitution imposes on the federal gov’t, Social Security was created to destroy American sovereignty. The “Form SS-5″ that an applicant uses to apply for a S.S.# is actually a federal employment form. After all, only a federal employee is liable for federal employment taxes. You know the name of the federal employee – the “taxpayer”. “Taxpayer” is a legal term defined at 26 CFR 2.1-1(a)(5) as a member of the Merchant Marine – a federal employee. 26 CFR 2.1-1(b) states that this is the definition of the term as used throughout the Code and the regulations for all calculation of taxes.
The gov’t has been given jurisdiction over its possessions by Article IV, section 3 of the Constitution. By checking the box “U.S. citizen” on the “Form SS-5″ the applicant has given the gov’t prima facie evidence that he has U.S. possession citizenship. “U.S. citizen” is also a legal term exemplified at 26 CFR 25.2501-1(c) as a person born in one of the States who then establishes a residence in a U.S. possession (Puerto Rico is cited in the example) and, further, acquires U.S. possession citizenship. This regulation then references back to 26 USC sec. 2501(b) where it states that this is the definition of the term “citizen” “wherever used in the title”. The U.S. possessions are treated as foreign countries (see 26 USC sec. 865(i)(3), 872(b)(7), and 2014(g) for example). This makes a “U.S. citizen” a foreigner. This is the 14th Amendment citizen.
The combination of the legal terms “taxpayer” and “U.S. citizen” is known as the “U.S. resident” at 26 USC sec. 865(g). A “U.S. resident” is a “U.S citizen” living in America – a foreigner.
So by applying for a S.S.# an American has given away all sovereignty and become a slave to the federal gov’t.
All of this evidences that the owners of the gov’t are quite aware of its limited jurisdiction, but they have absolutely no regard for freedom.
Title 20 USC, “Education”, is implemented by title 20 CFR, “Employee’s Benefits”. Education is paid for by school taxes addressed to “resident”. Your education is based upon being a federal employee. Government controlling education is the 10th plank of the Communist Manifesto.
The Census Bureau questionnaire was addressed to “RESIDENT”. The Census Bureau is within the Dept of Commerce. Title 15 USC, “Commerce and Trade”, is implemented by title 15 CFR, “Commerce and Foreign Trade”. Everything comes back to foreign commerce.
Internal revenue is within the customs. Customs gains revenue for the gov’t from importing duties from foreign countries. Internal revenue gains revenue for the gov’t from importing duties from the U.S. possessions – thus a source of “internal revenue”.
The 3 commerce jurisdictions are cited separately in title 28 USC, “Judiciary and Judicial Procedure”, chapter 85, “District Courts; Jurisdiction”. Section 1336, “Surface Board Transportation Orders”, which was renamed from “Interstate Commerce Commission’s Orders” in late 1995, is the interstate commerce jurisdiction. Section 1362, “Indian Tribes”, is obviously the trade with the Indians commerce jurisdiction. Section 1340, “Internal revenue; customs duties”, is the foreign commerce jurisdiction. Income tax is the second plank of the Communist Manifesto. Inheritance tax is the third plank of the Communist Manifesto.

The medicine and drug laws (the basis of the FDA) are also internal revenue laws. The gov’t has gone to great pains in its law writing to hide this fact, but all of it is available at http://wp.me/pCW6e-4M where the laws are evidenced.
The FBI is one of the many federal alphabet agencies created during the 1930’s when the Federal Reserve bankrupted the federal government. The authority granted to the FBI is cited at title 28 U.S.C., “Judiciary and Judicial Procedure”, section 533, “Investigative and other officials; appointment”, where it directs that the FBI is charged with investigating crimes against the United States, protecting the President, protecting the Attorney General, and other matters under the Department of Justice and the Department of State. The only people over which the FBI has jurisdiction is set out in title 28 U.S.C. section 535, “Investigation of crimes involving Government officials and employees; limitations”, as government officials and employees. There is no section of law that grants the FBI any investigative jurisdiction over sovereign Americans. An American has given up all sovereignty when applying for a Social Security number by becoming a federal employee and, therefore, subject to the FBI’s investigative powers.
Go to http://wp.me/pCW6e-3g where you will find posted evidence of docket tampering by the Appellate Court in order to avoid sitting in judicial review of my brief in which I have challenged the sufficiency of the IRS indictment. The IRS indictment uses the term “resident” in order to bring in all underlying jurisdiction and all of the actual elements of the charge.
Go to http://wp.me/pCW6e-5X where you will find cited the actual statutes of the USC that evidence that the US doesn’t have exclusive ownership of the Mississippi River. This is why BP is in charge of everything in the Gulf spill fiasco.
The owners of the gov’t set out to control all Americans almost immediately after the ink dried on the Declaration of Independence. Up until that time all gov’t everywhere else was based upon powerful families (monarchs and tyrants) who presumed to own everyone and everything within their jurisdiction. These families still to this day presume the same thing – they are behind everything that is going on in America. They had no intent to let the colonies become free. You must fight for your freedom. We Americans have been asleep at the switch and have let these families slowly corrupt our law.
I have challenged the constitutionality of the Act of Congress approved on March 3, 1791, that initiated “internal duties” in America. The District Court, the Appellate Court, and the Dept of Justice are all conspiring against me to avoid having the courts do their sworn duty.
I have evidenced the entire Social Security Scam on my Blog at LLSTULER.wordpress.com.

Comment on Special Edition – August 23, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 03:16:32 +0000

Larry,
As the chatter about taxes heated up, I dug back into my archives of old radio commentaries I did for several years in the 90s when I served on the National Board of Citizens for an Alternative Tax System (CATS), the precursor organization to the current FairTax operation. This was one of those I’ve been hurling into the blogosphere as appropriate.
************

A remarkable essay appeared in the August 31st (1994)
edition of the Wall Street Journal. Entitled “A Higher
Authority on Taxes”, it was a unique assessment of the then
just passed Clinton tax package. The author, Rabbi
Daniel Lapin, did something the “dominant media culture”
would have hammered a Christian for doing. The Rabbi
stated his conclusion in the very first paragraph: “The
plan won’t work because it contradicts specific and
timeless principles expressed in the Bible”. WHOA!!

He rather methodically recited the Biblical laws
of taxation, telling the reader that the Bible is the
key to understanding the historically valid principle
which states that, regardless of the level of taxation,
folks will so arrange their affairs as to hold the
national average government tax take UNDER
approximately 19.5%! It’s the same 19.5% the
Egyptians paid to Pharaoh over 3,500 years ago — and
for the same reasons. And it’s the same 19.5% a recent
study indicates is approximately STILL CURRENT!!

People have always resisted what they believe to
be confiscatory taxation rates.

What does Scriptures have to say about OUR current
tax rates? Quoting from Rabbi Lapin’s essay:

“Evidently, even the cruel scenario depicted by
Samuel (earlier in the piece) could not envision a
legitimate king claiming more than 10% of his own
people’s produce (1st Samuel 8:15). A king would
impose higher taxes only upon his conquered enemies.

“Sure enough, in Joshua 17:13, the idea is put
forth that heavy taxation is to be imposed only upon
people for whom you do not care much.”

The Rabbi concludes with this timely warning to us
all:

“Finally, consider Proverbs 12:24. It declares
that ‘the hands of the diligent shall produce wealth
but the lazy will be subject to taxation.’ According
to the 11th century sage, Rabbi Solomon Yitzchaki,
these words warn that excessive taxation hinders
productivity and comes to pass only through the
laziness and indifference of citizens who decline to
resist the oppression. In other words, resisting a
government’s instinct to tax requires vigilance and
energy. As the prophet Samuel warned, if we fail to
exert the necessary vigilance and energy, we shall have
only ourselves to blame for the consequences.”

(Footnote added)

THE MESSAGE IS CLEAR: IF GOVERNMENT WISHES TO REMAIN AT
ITS CURRENT SIZE OR EXPAND (TWO THOROUGHLY DETESTABLE
OPTIONS!), IT SHOULD LOWER TAX RATES IN ORDER TO GROW
THE GDP SO THAT ITS 19.5% “TAKE” (AS BY FORCE!)
REPRESENTS A LARGER ABSOLUTE NUMBER!

Comment on Special Edition – August 23, 2010 by John

John — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 01:20:21 +0000

Yep, I’ve read that informatin more than once over, and over. It is sad, and no one gives a DAM about retired folks on fixed incomes. We still have to pay taxes and work with the higher costs of living and get NO cost of living raises.

The Social Security person was surprised when in their office fixing my Social Security benefits 4 years ago; “WOW! you have no break in service.” What that meant is I was working everyyear since I was 12 years old when I had a Social Security Number. No that I’m retired, the only benefit I have is some retirement income BUT IT IS FIXED and no raise in over 10 years. So, 10% sounds pretty good to me!!

But how do we make that happen?

Comment on No. 51 – August 21, 2010 by John

John — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:57:32 +0000

Well, I hear the same voice coming from you Larry. People are so far into their own shell, that they cannot see or hear what is going on, until it affects them, then it is tooooo late to say anything. We still have a big problem in this country with our Congress. As an individual, you may elect one person of the 435, that’s .0023% of the total congresspersons; and an individual can elect 2 senators of 100, that’s only 2% of the Senate. So, as long as the other voters keep electing those other guys and they have senority, they seem to have power, not equality in Congress.

The President is head of the Administrative government, or to see that the govenment is running, including the military. The President can sign a bill to law or not; but the President seems to get laws passed by the peoples representatives,why? Expescially when the people don’t like the bill and their representative do not listen.

Therefore, unless we the poeple can shake up the Congressional electees, we have a problem. But we can affect who is President. And that is what people need to learn.

Also, if we could put a number on the total persons voting compared to the total number of eligible and those registered, I fear we would find that around the 10% of the country is electing our President.

People say my vote does not count; well, Bush was elected by an almost single vote. What would have happened if all eligible voters had place an X on the ballot?

Then there is the electicoral college; that is all the red and blue states on the map the media talks about. But not all states have an equal number of electorial votes; Thus, only a few, by law, could elect a president, and they don’t have to follow the votes of the poeple.

Then there is the money thing, who has the money to run for an office.

Basically, your vote does count!! and as long as these folks don’t pay attention and learn, what you say about the GOP is TRUE, FACT, and part of what is going on in this country.

Put up or shut up!! No. Just Vote, smart and don’t be afraid to make a change. After all, we have 535 people who can watch the President, and we have a country full of people who can watch the 535 people.

Are you awake out there?

Comment on No. 51 – August 21, 2010 by Robert W. Klepinger

Robert W. Klepinger — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:32:03 +0000

Larry, the “conservatives” you tout are singing a song only about 20% of our citizens understand or more importantly…care about. It’s like they think it’s still 1958, gas is 25 cents a gallon and people of “other” persuasions don’t count. Get real!! Their message is dated and doesn’t inspire us to do better for all people, no matter where they live. I’m sorry but we live in 2010 and need elected men and women who can think outside that old box…and sell it. Obama is the best mind we’ve had in office during my/our lifetime in my opinion. Big, complicated issues remain to be resolved everywhere in the world. I don’t support the idea that America should continue to “police the world” and pay for it alone. It’s simply not sustainable…but if we intend to be the leader of the free world, we should have a national policy that considers the reality that exists in other places. Obama is my/our salesman…thankfully.
R. Klepinger, a member of the “Chicago Machine”

Comment on No. 51 – August 21, 2010 by Jim Simpson

Jim Simpson — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:08:20 +0000

As usual your spot on Larry, both about the sacred two GOP issues, (that most of us do not find of much value, particularly when the wars and economic issues are not being addressed) and the whole Islam fear thing…
Sadist part of all, it would seem that the only people who are not feeling disenfranchised by the system are the folks inside the ranks of each party, Fox News, the Liberal Media and perhaps the Tea Party… I can’t tell you how many people have said if Hillary is running they would vote for her over all the candidates they are being offered… seems they have lost all faith in the party… when seasoned Republicans say they would welcome back Bill Clinton then the GOP has a serious problem…
Let’s hear it for proven successful people like Meg Whitman being willing to run for office… we need more proven performers and fewer professional politicians if we are going to sort out our economic woes… Maybe they have enough $$$ that they are trying to do some good for the country, not just getting elected to get comfortable off the system… Why are so many people with tragic credit telling the rest of us how the money is going to be spent? Should be some laws that keep people who can’t manage their finances from being able to get elected…
Just my take… Still smiling, but sure struggling to maintain it…
If, indeed struggle is good for the soul then at least many of us are doing well in that department…

Comment on No. 50 – August 14, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 20:19:30 +0000

1) >However, if I am wrong, please show me in the most up-to-date, authorized copy of the Quran/Koran where it tells its followers NOT to convert – or to kill – the “non-believers” and I will amend my statement.

How much time do you have Larry? All of the following come from the Quran (not from the Hadith or any lesser source). The numbers give the surah (chapter) and verse number.

2:256 There is no compulsion in religion, for the right way is clearly from the wrong way. Whoever therefore rejects the forces of evil and believes in God, he has taken hold of a support most unfailing, which shall never give way, for God is All Hearing and Knowing.
16:82 But if they turn away from you, your only duty is a clear delivery of the Message entrusted to you.
6:107 Yet if God had so willed, they would not have ascribed Divinity to aught besides him; hence, We have not made you their keeper, nor are you a guardian over them.
4:79, 80 Say to everyone of them, ‘Whatever good betides you is from God and whatever evil betides you is from your own self and that We have (O Prophet) sent you to mankind only as a messenger and all sufficing is God as witness. Whoso obeys the Messenger, he indeed obeys God. And for those who turn away, We have not sent you as a keeper.
11:28 Noah to his people said “O my people! think over it! If I act upon a clear direction from my Lord who has bestowed on me from Himself the Merciful talent of seeing the right way, a way which you cannot see for yourself, does it follow that we can force you to take the right path when you definitely decline to take it?
17:53, 54 And tell my servants that they should speak in a most kindly manner unto those who do not share their beliefs. Verily, Satan is always ready to stir up discord between men; for verily; Satan is mans foe …. Hence, We have not sent you (Unto men O Prophet) with power to determine their Faith.
21:107 to 109 (O Prophet?) ‘We have not sent you except to be a mercy to all mankind:” Declare, “Verily, what is revealed to me is this, your God is the only One God, so is it not up to you to bow down to Him?’ But if they turn away then say, “I have delivered the Truth in a manner clear to one and all, and I know not whether the promised hour of Judgment is near or far.”
22:67 To every people have We appointed ceremonial rites which they observe; therefore, let them not wrangle over this matter with you, but bid them to turn to your Lord. You indeed are rightly guided. But if they still dispute you in this matter, then say, `God best knows the value of what you do.”
88:21, 22; also see 24:54 And so, (O Prophet!) exhort them your task is only to exhort; you cannot compel them to believe.
48:28 He it is Who has sent forth His Messenger with the task of spreading Guidance and the Religion of Truth, to the end that tie make it prevail over every false religion, and none can bear witness to the Truth as God does.
36:16, 17 Three Messengers to their people said, “Our Sustainer knows that we have indeed been sent unto you, but we are not bound to more than clearly deliver the Message entrusted to us.’
39:41 Assuredly, We have sent down the Book to you in right form for the good of man. Whoso guided himself by it does so to his own advantage, and whoso turns away from it does so at his own loss. You certainly are not their keeper.
42:6, 48 And whoso takes for patrons others besides God, over them does God keep a watch. Mark, you are not a keeper over them. But if they turn aside from you do not get disheartened, for We have not sent you to be a keeper over them; your task is but to preach ….
64:12 Obey God then and obey the Messenger, but if you turn away no blame shall attach to our Messenger, for the duty of Our Messenger is just to deliver the message.
67:25, 26 And they ask, “When shall the promise be fulfilled if you speak the Truth?” Say, “The knowledge of it is verily with God alone, and verily I am but a plain warner.”
60:8 Allah forbids you not, with regard to those who fight you not for your Faith nor drive you out of your homes, from dealing kindly and justly with them: for Allah loveth those who are just.
60:9 Allah only forbids you, with regard to those who fight you for your Faith, and drive you out of your homes, and support others in driving you out, from turning to them for friendship and protection. It is such as turn to them in these circumstances that do wrong.

Bored yet? Believe it or not, there are more.

2) >In my humble opinion, any religion that has – in part, or parcel – >the commandment to KILL others who do not adhere to their >particular faith, is not a religion, but indeed a cult. Jim Jones and >his Jonestown Massacre come immediately to mind.

Er, Larry, Jim Jones exhorted cult members to kill themselves, not non-believers.

3) >America is NOT Sharia Law compliant – thank God.

Neither are many Muslim countries… So why should America be?

4) GROUND ZERO. To the best of my knowledge, there has been no proposal by anyone to build a mosque anywhere near Ground Zero; because Ground Zero, as any fule kno, properly refers to the atomic detonations at Hiroshima and Nagasaki. How grotesquely typical it is of American hubris that the term has been expropriated from (most conservatively) 100,000 victims of American butchery (this does not count the injured who died later nor the radiation victims nor subsequent generations; just those killed in the blast) to 3,500 American victims of terrorism, which means that 1 American death is worth at least 28 Japanese.

I think the idea of building a mosque so near the site of the WTC is frankly tasteless and ill-advised, but not as tasteless as the American media’s expropriation of “Ground Zero”. I wonder when we will all start having to refer to the events of 9/11 as the “American Holocaust”?

Comment on No. 50 – August 14, 2010 by John

John — Sun, 15 Aug 2010 05:09:59 +0000

Wheww!! Never heard the term “Sharia Law”. After looking it up on the Internet, what I read says this is not a religion, but a guide to live ones life. But it certainly is very one-sided and not fare to all. It has many different ideas and does not stick to a single or good stream of life. Glad we are not in that mold!!

Republicans or Democrats or any party. Why do we need them? they seem to form a plan and not work for “we the people”.

The Congress is supposed to be the for the people, represent the people and work for the people.

The President is the one who manages the Administration of Government. Does this really work today?

Why do we send FREE stuff to help diastors around the world and not the same for our own nation?

Why do we pay high prices for pills but they sell the same in other countries for a reasonable price?

Why does government cut workers, their pay, school funds, medical funds, and like items but never take a pay cut themselves.

People came originally to America to exscape religious predjudice and freedom to have their religion; But the forefathers were very pointed to separate church and state. Islam does not!! Will our govenment maintain that concept?

But yet you warn Republicans we don’t trust them. I say we cannot trust any candidate what they will do once elected. I say the President should not be limited to terms, unless all candidates have some term limits. The frist term of the President is to maintain high priase to get elected again, then the office becomes a “lame duck” becuase he does not have to please no one and it becomes a big political move to impress and discredit so a party can get elected on the next term.

Maybe after the end of a term limit, the public should (all US public) say if the candidate is accepted to run for a third and succesive terms; if the public says no, then that person can not run for that office again.

This way we at least we all have a method to oust some candidates others voted for that the entire public says no at the end of their term limit.

When you going to run for President Mr. Klepinger?

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 14:50:23 +0000

Dear Larry and Doc,

Thanks for your kind words. I’ll report back to you tomorrow night as soon as we know the election results. It’s been a lot of hard work during a very hot summer, but after 7:00 tomorrow evening, as one of my neighbors likes to say, “It’ll all be over except the crying!” Hopefully, the only tears in my eyes will be tears of joy.

Dave

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Bill Malone

Bill Malone — Mon, 09 Aug 2010 09:40:38 +0000

Larry,

I met your brother a month or so ago at a Fair Tax meeting. However, I have been working with him on the Woodall Campaign for the last 2 or 3 weeks (seems like a lifetime). He’s a good man. He stands up and can be counted on. In your first article, you wonder about the American Spirit…I can tell you, even though you probably know…that it is alive and well in your brother.

He and I have the same conviction when it comes to Rob Woodall. Rob will also stand up and be counted and will fight for our nation and the people of the 7th District. Both Dave and I know, there is no other motive when it comes to Rob…he is there for us..a true citizen servant.

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Alma Arthur

Alma Arthur — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 20:58:37 +0000

Dear Readers,
If any of you happen to be from Connecticut, there’s a great, honest, knowledge man who’s also digging into his own pockets, to try to win the senate seat from that state. He is articulate, and knows finances backward and forward; the reason he’s running is because he doesn’t like the current state of affairs with all the bailouts, and favorable treatment of banks, Wall Street, & other powerful global companies. He feels the taxpayers are overburdened with taxes that need not be, that their children & grandchildren will pay the price of all the “Monopoly” money being printed. PETER SCHIFFwants & believes he can make a difference & the only way his rational voice can be heard is to be elected to the Senate. Personally, I’d like to go back 100 years and start over. By the way SCHIFF is not an incumbent; he is an underdog, but gaining rapidly. Watch for his star is rise!! Alma Arthur

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 06:45:21 +0000

Hi Larry

Putting the cat among the pigeons as usual! You have a deceptive method of argument, which is to push the meaning of a word beyond what it would normally be understood to mean, and then treat it as though that IS what it is normally understood to mean.

You’re fond of dictionary definitions, so here’s one from the Online Etymological Dictionary:

republic
c.1600, “state in which supreme power rests in the people,” from Fr. république, from L. respublica (abl. republica), lit. res publica “public interest, the state,” from res “affair, matter, thing” + publica, fem. of publicus “public”

Of course America is called a republic. So is France. So was the USSR (remember what the R stood for)? So was East Germany. So is China, so is North Korea, so is Taiwan. Got a lot in common, have they?

No they haven’t… And, duh! The difference is democracy.

OF COURSE, America can be called a democracy. It is not a “pure” democracy; it’s too big for that to be tenable. But ask any political scientist and he or she will tell you: the US can legitimately be called a representative democracy. And it’s still mob rule. The US is NOT governed by consensus – which is the only truly republican alternative to mob rule (bearing in mind what “republic” means – “res publica” in Latin, a “public thing”).

The US is governed by mob rule. The mob vote for their representatives, and then the representatives follow the mob rule pattern: 51% says yes, the 49% who say no are screwed. In the case of constitutional amendments, I believe it is approximately 68%, 32%… But that’s just a bigger mob. All US laws, including the constitution, can be changed by the mob. What do you think “We the people…” is supposed to mean? The will of the people underwrites the laws and the will of the people is, by definition, the will of the mob. Of course, the Founding Fathers had a well-founded fear of demagoguery just as they had of arbitrary dictatorship, and the Constitution is a finely crafted instrument that is designed to mitigate the more pernicious effects of either tendency, but it is, in modern terms, a democratic constitution nonetheless.

There is nothing that says a republic cannot be a democracy. And there is nothing that says that a democracy cannot be ruled by law. The nearest thing to a pure democracy was probably ancient Athens (although their economy was dependent on slaves so we may be cynical about this), and their proudest boast – contrasting themselves with the Imperial Persians, for example – was that they were free, because they enjoyed freedom under the law. They were governed by law; other states were governed by the arbitrary will of kings etc. The point of a law is NOT that it cannot be changed; it is that no-one is ABOVE it.

I’m sorry Larry… I’ve often wondered about the differences between the two main US political parties, but it isn’t anything like what you’ve suggested here. That’s just playing with words.

Of course, one could be cynical and argue that the US is not really a democracy because it’s effectively governed by the same tiny group of powerful cliques, and that the illusion of “people power” is just that – an illusion. But in that case, the US isn’t a republic either – it’s an oligarchy.

Perhaps it is an oligarchy at that.

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 05:54:08 +0000

Larry

Quoting: “Republicans believe in a republic – or rule of law.”…
seems you missed out “EXCEPT WHEN THEY DON’T”.

Bush WAS a Republican I believe
Bush was manipulated into office by the supreme court without an actual vote count majority
Bush DID literally hurl the nation far right (as if 50/50 gave him a mandate ) without the slightest concern for the 50% of voters who were against him. (I was NOT against him then.)

The whole set of political gangsters and assorted unsavory cronies (Cheney… Hove… DeLay..etc) put into effect your “rule of law” to crush the opposition and 50% of the public.

You state with certitude (not devoid of spin..I would opine) that the democrats were a party of “Mob rule” (A less biased attitude would have used the words “majority rule”.) This one phrase alone painted your true color on politics

Your “word magic” sends me scurrying to support “mob rule” as having some justification if it blocks the rampant dictatorship mindset and power politics of a GOP ideology on the rampage.

Today your cast in cement dedication to GOP seems waterproof as there is ALWAYS a putdown of some level or another whenever you mention democrat.

Sorry Sir your Republicanism is part of you. Therefore your journal is bound to speak without balance. Please unsubscribe me since bias is not a key to credibility.

In judging the worth of MY comment please remember that my credibility is that after many many years of leaning right my direction was changed 8 years ago. I was always so anti union that Reagan won me by firing every union flight controller. I also supported impeachment of Clinton

Nowadays I see unions as necessary to fight off the evil of the uncontrolled cult that Republicanism became under your “rule of law”
spin
In politics and religion: middle of the road man ! There sanity has a chance. North and South is the horror of what I call “IDIOTOLOGY”

Without rancor Bye Bye Larry. We had some interesting exchanges wish you had admitted that your political beliefs had very few, if any, shades of grey

Doug

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by John

John — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 04:43:18 +0000

A God! Seems as long as we know history, there is evidence of humans worshipping a God. However, the books this world today uses as their “Bible” was written by people, the a God. Next everyone who reads those books takes those words and decides what they mean and defines their life style to live by.

Now the tone of this article is exampling the types of Governments. No matter which government you talk about there is a rule of people but without regard to a “Bible” but of some type of law, not matter who enforces it.

So the peoples of the world each have a life and some form of government, but yet they want to build weapons and fight others. Some on the basis of the their government priorities, others based on thier religious beliefs.

The USA is based on a Republic, govenered by law. It was our forefathers who also stated to keep state and religion separate. Is that happening today?

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Andrea

Andrea — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 03:05:01 +0000

Larry, I like Akers but I also like Didier. I like what both have to say and what both hold dear. I think Rossi is just more of same of what we already have and don’t want anymore of. And bless you for knowing that we ARE indeed a Repbulic, which most of our elected officials don’t seem to be aware of. And as for knowing about Islam, if anyone is a member of ACT for America founded by Brigitte Gabriel or follows the website “Atlas Shruggs”, you will discover everything you ever wanted to know and so much you are afraid to know about the “religion” of Islam.

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Doc Dolan

Doc Dolan — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:48:46 +0000

To Brother David …

Keep fighting the good fight! Kudos!

Comment on No. 49 – August 7, 2010 by Doc Dolan

Doc Dolan — Sun, 08 Aug 2010 01:46:10 +0000

Larry,

I cannot tell you how many times I have argued the point of America NOT being a true Democracy – by definition. I like to use the analogy of a group of people playing a game. What are the rules? Who makes them? Do they change or get “re-voted on” every single time the game is played and new players are added? If NOT, then it is not Democratic!

Once you put in a group of set down rules, (or even make one rule)and ONE ADDITIONAL PLAYER JOINS THE GAME agreeing to follow the already decided rules … it is NO LONGER Democratic! It is a Republican game because the person or persons who agreed to be governed by the rules set down by other than themselves, made it a Republican game. It is no longer Democratic as the new players never got a chance to vote the rules up or down, like they would have if it was a true Democratic game.

Sounds convoluted I know … but those are the pure unadulterated facts! I am sure your readers can follow it. I have often heard it explained that “Democracy can only be truly practiced in small groups whose members never change! Because once a person joins, or leaves the group … all things must be re-decided and voted on again.”

America has a Republican form of government, always has and hopefully always will … as a true Democracy never works for a country – nor could it! Because every waking minute, every time a child turned ‘legal age’, every time a new citizen was made a citizen … EVERY LAW OF THE LAND would need to be re-voted on! At the current size of even VERY SMALL countries … no one would have any time to actually work as they would ALWAYS be voting! That problem in and of itself FORCES either a Republican form of government … OR a Socialist one!

THE TIME IS NOW AMERICANS !!!!!

CHOOSE WHICH ONE YOU WANT !!!!!

Then get off your collective duffs … and make it happen! If it is all you can do, then it is all you can do. But you MUST do something!

REMEMBER IN NOVEMBER … THE CHOICE IS STILL YOURS!

WILL IT STILL BE YOURS (AND MINE) IN NOVEMBER 2011 ?

WE ALL GET TO DECIDE …

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 05:02:05 +0000

Hitler’s intentions were detailed in Mein Kampf The world fiddled
Later the world burned

Islam has its own “Mein Kampf It is called the quoran. It details destructive intentions against the West.

Americans can fiddle behind phrases like “politically correct” or “religious freedom” or they can resist the spread of the Islam virus before it becomes an epidemic.

The greater and longer the tolerance of decadent primitive savagery
masquerading as a religion the heavier the final cost.

Brownshirts in the past Terrorist thugs in the present. Same thing!
The end of perverted “faith” would be the start of sanity

Bring on the 72 virgins !!! Now there is a “credible” faith especially when supported by finesse in cutting of noses and ears as shown on the cover of the current TIME magazine. Add the documented crowd pleasing inhumanity of “swamp creatures” stoning female humans to death for the sin of being raped by camel turds of “men”

Wow that sure sounds more like a horror movie than a faith worthy of “Religious Freedom” treatment.

The world tolerated political dictatorship in the 30s & 40s You may recall what happened. If American loopdy loos are permissive of Religious oppression and dictatorship of Mullahs by use of Sharia laws.
Guess where we are headed

Doug

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by John

John — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 17:43:04 +0000

Great Artticle and the vidoe link by Dave everyong should hear on the foriegn folks view America.

I only add one comment. When you talk about religion of faith, think about the Native Indians of America. They had a pretty strong thought about a God!! Just another snap shot of the idea. When it came time to fight against a common enemy, they would band together then go back to their own territories.

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 04:05:59 +0000

Hi Larry, a thought-provoking (and courageous) submission.

I’d like to reply to a couple of the questions of information, but before I do, may I just pick up on some things you mentioned that I believe are worthy of a sharper focus?

“I say private prayers every day – but I don’t make a big thing about it. I was taught long ago not to wear my faith on my chest – but to keep it in my heart.”

The view you reflect here is that of a post-enlightenment, secular society. This doesn’t mean that people are not religious; it just means that they believe in pluralism — they respect other people’s right to their own opinions regarding religious beliefs. Of course, we have our Fred Phelpses and Scott Roeders, but on the whole we modern Westerners are a tolerant lot. One of my favourite quotes from Mohammed is apt here:

“There can be no compulsion in matters of religion.”

One of the reasons we enjoy the benefits of a post-enlightenment, secular society is because we have the benefit of education. We are almost all literate and we’ve learned a lot of science to boot. We have learned to be critical. Another quote from your piece:

“According to what I have read, the rate of illiteracy in Afghanistan is approximately 80%.”

This is true of most Muslim countries.

The point I want to make here is that there is a tendency for Westerners to compare Christians with Muslims, when what they are really comparing is an educated society with an illiterate one. You yourself mention the horror of the crusades… In many ways it would be fairer to compare Islamic fundamentalists with crusaders than with modern Western Christians. Historically, the worst excesses of Islam can easily be matched by Christianity… But in the 21st Century, we happen to have moved on. Islamic societies largely haven’t. This is partly due to the stultifying effect of religion itself, but it is also due to political and economic forces and — Yes! — exacerbated by the criminally selfish policies of successive Western governments.

Points of Information:

“The simple question is, did Mohammed ever kill anyone?”

I’m not sure if he ever killed anyone personally, but he was certainly consciously and deliberately responsible for many deaths, including all the males of one entire Jewish tribe (the women & girls were sold into slavery; the tribe was effectively exterminated).

“Also, Mohammed had a number of wives – some still in their early teens.”

Yes indeed. Accounts range from 11 to 22, with 4 or 7 at any one time. The youngest was Aisha, whom, according to revered tradition, he deflowered when she was 9 or 10.

“This does not sound like a “truly” religious man in my eyes…”

Why not? If you define religiousness in Christian terms, of course, you are going to find anyone not Christian to be wanting. I remember an Israeli once observing to me, “Turning the other cheek… This is not a Jewish value.” Mohammed is certainly as “righteous” as any Old-Testament prophet — which is the kind of man he actually claimed to be, not “the son of God”.

I’m not going to defend Mohammed in detail, but I do think that you ought to ask yourself these questions: Why do you consider polygamy to be wrong? Could it have ever had any social, economic or political value? Even to the women themselves? How about child marriage? How is paedophilia defined, and by whom?

“But the main thing that convinces me, is that Jesus’ mere presence actually changed the way the EARTH records time.”

On the other hand, a few years ago, scholar Michael Hart published a book entitled (from memory) “The 100 Most Influential People in History”… Mohammed came first, Newton second, and Jesus third. For Hart’s justification, please see:

http://www.amaana.org/ismailim.html

“Jesus, as far as I know, was not a Jew, either. Is there anywhere in the “New” Testament, where Jesus actually says, “I am a Jew?” A simple yes or no, will again suffice.”

Larry, I could probably go my whole life without saying, “I am a carbon-based life-form”, but it wouldn’t make me any less of one. The Bible — being a religious document — does not record Jesus standing before a Roman road-block answering questions as to his religion/ethnicity. Nonetheless, the evidence that Jesus was a Jew — even if a radical one — is overwhelming. Here’s a brief overview:

http://jesusisajew.org/Jesus_is_a_Jew.php

“I have also met many “Christians” who have told me that Jesus was the founder of the Catholic Church. This simply cannot be. As I understand it, St. Peter holds that distinction – and was therefore, the first Catholic Pope of the Catholic Church. Am I wrong here?”

At one point in the NT, Jesus turns to his disciples, specifically to Simon called Peter (”Rocky” in Greek), and says “You are the rock on which I will found my church.” Catholics interpret this to mean literally and exclusively Simon Peter, Other Christians interpret the “rock” reference to be a clever figure of speech and to mean the disciples in general. Take your pick.

“But I don’t recall the mention of Palestine in the “Old” Testament. Again, if I am wrong, please let me know. And don’t use different names in the place of Palestine.”

It’s not in the NT either. “Palestine” was a Roman name for the area that derived from the Latin pronunciation of one of the key ethnic groups in the area, the Philistines (who were the Phoenicians, by the way). You remember Goliath’s bunch? That lot. Since the Bible was not a publication of the Roman Imperial Press, the name Palestine doesn’t figure in it.

Jihad — the most misunderstood word in Islam. First, to clear up a common misconception, jihad does not mean “holy war” Neither of these elements is present in the Arabic term. It means, “struggle”.
According to the Koran and the Hadith, there is a greater jihad and a lesser jihad. The greater jihad is the struggle with oneself to be a better Muslim. The lesser jihad is the struggle with the world to be allowed to be a Muslim. It is this lesser jihad that is often confused with “holy war”. “Holy war” is an exclusively Christian term, invented by the popes who spawned the crusades. The Koran and the Hadith speak only of “just war” and “unjust war”. Muslims are permitted to wage only “just war”, and this is very precisely defined as a purely defensive war with very specific rules:

Muslims may fight only if attacked.
Non-combatants, women, children and clerics (this means mullahs, priests and rabbis) must be protected.
Muslims must sue for a just peace as soon as this is offered by the attacking side.

(This last one is very significant. At one point Mohammed lost a strategic advantage when his enemy suddenly sued for peace. His followers urged him to press home his advantage and continue fighting to victory, but he insisted they make the peace. Subsequently, the enemy betrayed the peace and very nearly killed Mohammed and his followers with a surprise attack).

You might find this hard to reconcile with Bin Laden and Co. But the logic is quite simple. Bin Laden and his followers look at history and see their struggle as a war of defence against a long tradition of Christian imperialism. Even non-combatants become combatants because, in a modern democracy, we have women in the army and we vote for our wars — or at least, we do not vote against them. To guilt-stricken Caucasians, Israel seems a just return for the Holocaust, but to people in the Middle-East, it is imperialist expropriation of land, pure and simple. The US supports the dictatorial regimes in Saudi and Egypt, where people are tortured for dissent of almost any kind. When the Israelis invaded Lebanon the first time, 20,000 Lebanese civilians were killed. The Israeli shell-casings had “Made in the USA” Stamped on them. Many civilians have died in Iraq and Afghanistan. Bin Laden and Co, using the same kind of mental gymnastics that distinguished the thinking of those who supported the crusades, the inquisition and slavery, cast themselves as defenders of the innocent. Thus do they speak of “jihad”.

And this brings me to my final point.

There is a tendency for Westerners to see Islam as an inflexible religion; but in fact one of its problems is that it is supremely flexible.
While Mohammed lived, he was the authority on the interpretation of the Koran. He could say one thing on Monday, and another on Tuesday (perfectly sensibly, if the situations were significantly different). Alas, before he died, he did not appoint a successor. Subsequent generations of Muslims have tried to set up systems to compensate for this. For example:

Do what the Koran says (but how do you interpret it to meet changing needs and circumstances?)
Copy Mohammed’s personal example (but which of the records of Mohammed’s actions and sayings are reliable?)
Where there are contradictory examples, make a later quotation from the Koran or from the Hadith cancel out an earlier one (Mohammed set out peacefully enough, but he and his followers were persecuted; consequently they became more defensive — and necessarily violent. The principle described here results, obviously, in a legacy of Islam that is certainly more violent and repressive than Mohammed originally intended)
Be guided by Mohammed’s friends (this was the choice of the majority, the Sunnis)
Be guided by Mohammed’s family (this was the choice of the sizable minority, the Shias)
Be guided by certain highly educated Muslims (ie., the mullahs, the imams, the ayatollahs)
Be guided by later “prophets” (a risky path, asit may be decried as heresy, but one followed by the Ismaili and Ahmaddiyah Muslims, for example)
Be guided by any Muslim whose arguments make sense to you in today’s society (how else do you think an engineering graduate like Bin Laden, or a medical doctor like Zahawiri, get to issue religiously-binding “fatwahs”?)

The good news is that, for the same reason, Islam is perectly capable of re-inventing itself in a tolerant, secular, egalitarian and democratic form… A process that is already happening in the US and other places and which I believe will continue.

And I will conclude with a personal observation: I consider myself to be a reasonably educated fellow who is comfortably off — but even I would rather concentrate on the 72 virgins!

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 00:36:59 +0000

Hello Larry- I’m going to avoid the religious theology here (it’s way too complicated for my simple mind), and stick to the simple brass tacks.
1. A Mosque on or near ground zero will instigate a well deserved domestic terrorist event. And rightly so. What idiots at NYC Planning and Zoning approved that deal? There had to be a least one or two Mohameds on the board.
2. You are certainly on the mark concerning Iraq- we are far from done there. In spite of previous agreements, Obama’s cheap talk, or protestations from either the left or right wingers, we will be there for a long time to come. The planned total pull out at the end of 2011 will never happen. We left 50,000 troops in Korea for over 50 years. I think it’s now down to about 38,000 troops or so, in spite of the fact that we haven’t imported a drop of oil from Korea since we brought home some military surplus Jeep’s around 1958. And if anyone can tell me why we are still in Kosovo after all these years, I sure would like to know.
3. Afganistan is lost. Has been for a long time. Obama’s ’surge’ has not a chance of working. It’s just a loser’s gambit to defer defeat to the next administration. We need to get the hell out now, the faster the better. Our local VFW this past Saturday had a fundraiser for a 21 year old soldier who recently lost both legs and his left hand in Afganistan. Who will look him and hundreds of other’s like him in the eye five years from now and say – ‘Sorry, but it was politically expedient at the time’.
4. Your Middle Eastern peace plan gave me a good laugh. Why in the world should America or anyone else for that matter have to patrol the streets of Jerusalem to keep the peace between a bunch of religious zealots? Mankind would be much better served if the entire region was bulldozed flat and covered in a foot of salt. Maybe then there could be some peace.

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by david hutton

david hutton — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 17:32:03 +0000

Humanity Betrayed:”Is humanity in danger of betraying itself through what it holds as its highest ideals?”Nietzsche’s radical critique of Christianity focused on two key points:
*The Christian religion defines morality by a belief system based on a
master-slave relationship.
*It’s essence is rooted in resentment of the raw beauty and power of
the life force that is Gaia.
The word ‘religion’ comes fromthe Latin meaning obligation,reverence
and the focus of Nietzsche on the Christian religion has equal applic-ation with other religions.
So religious doctrine,whether it be Christian,Moslem or Jewish defines a standard of morality that in its application is divisive,confining,
judgemental and requires ‘blind’ obedience to its laws and edicts.Failure to obey could result in all manner of accusation ,
recrimination and assorted fear-based reaction that manifest
humanity’s worst traits.
Effectively,most religious expression is implemented through bondage,hence the master-slave connotation and the freedom
that is at the core of the spiritual values espoused by avatars
of Jesus’s ilk is sadly absent.
So who was Jesus really?Well he certainly was not an advocate
of a master-slave belief system.His words and deeds expressed
a profound humilty and love for the Oneness of Gaia and the fact
that humanity’s highest ideals are realized in complete immersion
and integration with the living earth.In that place of serenity and
purposeful peace resides a state of being that expresses ‘uncondit-
ional love’ which is the truth of the Universal Life Force also known
as God……………………….
So who was Jesus really?To integrate the human highest ideals with his message,we must search beyond the political Christian doctrine
that established the master-slave consciousness advocated by
Constantine and implemented through the Council of Nicea in 325 AD.
We must reconnect with the Gnostic teachings of Ancient Days that
are so eloquently found in the Nag Hammadi codices.These teachings,repressed by Christianity,affirm the sacredness of the earth
apart from its use(exploitation) for human purposes.It has been documented by various sources that Jesus spent his years before
his ministry studying with the Egyptian Mystery Schools,the Druids in England,places of learning in India etc.In other words the foundation of his wisdom embraced the Gnostic advocacy of a divine presence that is INCLUSIVE of all humanity,exclusive of none.In that realization Jesus ’s words have specific significance:
“The meek(gentle)shall inherit the earth.”………………………
So I conclude with my opening statement that humanity is in danger of betraying itself,when it’s highest ideals are expressed through FEAR-based energy!
Namaste
David

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Sun, 01 Aug 2010 05:14:08 +0000

Larry, As always, well-written, thought-provoking stuff. A couple minor corrections/clarifications:

1. Anno Domini – Latin for The Year Of Our Lord, refers to the birth of Christ, rather than after Christ (Some think AD stands for “after death.”)

2. The number of virgins promised to martyrs in the Koran is 72, not 47. (Like it matters!)

Couldn’t agree with you more on the mosque issue. But it is much more than just a simple matter of respect or lack thereof. Indeed, with this proposal, respect is the furthest thing from the minds of those behind the plan. The mosque follows a pattern of erecting symbols to conquests over the infidels. For a really good lesson in civilization as it pertains to this topic, I suggest that your readers take a look at this video:
http://www.jihadwatch.org/2010/06/pat-condell-on-ground-zero-mosque-is-it-possible-to-be-astonished-but-not-surprised.html

That’s all for now. Good job, bro!

Dave

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by Doc Dolan

Doc Dolan — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 17:23:10 +0000

Very well put my friend! The greed and the power are what moves EVERYTHING, even though there are millions who want all to believe it is religion … as they say down south … to a truly informed person, “that dog won’t hunt”.

Just as a personal aside … I notice you have been reading your Tom Clancy novels! Very good! LOL!

Have a great weekend …
Doc

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 15:38:12 +0000

Provocative questions I, too, ponder in this difficult period.

And if that mosque IS built there, I have 100 bucks that says it won’t be there for long.

Comment on No. 48 – July 30, 2010 by Jim Simpson

Jim Simpson — Sat, 31 Jul 2010 06:26:14 +0000

Larry, thanks for a rational sensible simplification of basic religion…

Tolerance and forgiveness are wonderful words and notions if people bother to think for a moment what they are all about, and while basic tenants of most religions seem all to often overlooked by all those religions…

Unfortunately for the rational people of the world, power and greed were not factored into this intelligent discussion… As long as the world leaders (political and religious) are busy padding their own pockets and bolstering their power, at the expense of those they can sway and convince then we as a world are doomed to kaos…

If ALL religious leaders were honestly in the business of promoting peace harmony and well being, then the world would become a decent place promoting harmony and success for all… When can we get beyond the notion that there is just not enough to go around, and how much is enough… (perhaps some of our corporate moguls at Goldman Sachs could expound on this one)

Your on the right track, wish we could get every one aboard the train…

BTW Loved the garage and Chevy analogy…

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 23:36:22 +0000

To Micheal K. (and Doug): Nothing makes me more nervous than a Bible thumper – or a Koran thumper for that matter. Like it or not, this country was originally founded by people wanting to escape religious proscecution. We need to keep it that way. Me, I’m half Baptist and half Buddist. I really don’t think that anyone’s religious beliefs should be a concern to anyone else. Or in any way should be a requisite to American citizenship. But what should be a requisite, is respect for our laws and traditions by the immigrants who come here.
And they need to come here LEGALLY, or not at all.

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Tue, 27 Jul 2010 13:15:30 +0000

Larry, I too vigorously object to what I see as “political correctness”, but I think you sometimes stretch the term beyond its natural limits. For example, you say,

[The real beginning of Political Correctness began at this juncture. General MacArthur wanted to defeat the Communist North – who attacked the South to start the Korean War – but was stopped because Truman did not want to rile Mainland China, nor the USSR.]

Here is MacArthur’s plan to defeat the Communist North:

[In interviews published posthumously, MacArthur said he had a plan that would have won the war in 10 days: "I would have dropped 30 or so atomic bombs . . . strung across the neck of Manchuria." Then he would have introduced half a million Chinese Nationalist troops at the Yalu and then "spread behind us -- from the Sea of Japan to the Yellow Sea -- a belt of radioactive cobalt . . . it has an active life of between 60 and 120 years. For at least 60 years there could have been no land invasion of Korea from the North... My plan was a cinch."] (From the History News Network)

I don’t think I would describe a reluctance to use “30 or so (sic) atomic bombs” or to “spread… — from the Sea of Japan to the Yellow Sea — a belt of radioactive cobalt” as ‘political correctness’

***

Doug, consider the following:

Can a Christian be a good American?

No – because a Christian should keep the 10 Commandments, and the first is “You shall have no other gods before Me.” But Americans are committed to pluralism and freedom of worship, and must actively seek to protect the rights of those who have other gods or no god at all.

No – because a Christian should keep the 10 Commandments, and the fourth is “Remember the Sabbath day, to keep it holy. Six days you shall labor and do all your work, but the seventh day is the Sabbath of the Lord your God. In it you shall do no work: you, nor your son, nor your daughter, nor your male servant, nor your female servant, nor your cattle, nor your stranger who is within your gates.” But Americans are committed to pluralism and freedom of conscience, and must not seek to force others to abide by their personal religious standards, indeed, Americans are obliged to protect the freedom of others from this kind of religious oppression.

I could go on! This is an idiot’s game. It is not difficult to construct a case for a Christian or Jew – or Muslim — to reject America’s laws and customs in favour of “God’s laws”. Indeed, the people who bomb abortion clinics or shoot doctors who perform abortions do just that. The Spanish took Christianity and turned it into the Inquisition. The Northern Europeans of the 4th Crusade used Christianity as an excuse to sack and slaughter Byzantium – a Christian city. Yet today, most Americans are sufficiently adept at mental gymnastics to be able to equate Christianity with democracy and the values of the US constitution. Even without going into the ignorance and misrepresentation in the email you quote, I am sure that there are millions of Muslims in America today who see no contradiction between US values and what they deem to be Muslim ones.

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 23:58:04 +0000

A postscript to Alma A.:
Don’t you think that the ‘Average Alma’ has a much better ring to it?
Please don’t take offense I’m only kidding and having a little fun. BTW my Mom’s name was also Alma.
I totally agree with you concerning the Fed and the Glass/Owens bill. But how can a constitutional amendment be passed with the K Street lobbyists and the politicians against it? It has always been a political advantage for the powers that be to keep the middle class firmly in the middle. It seems that whenever the middle class begins to obtain too much wealth (which equates to power and influence, we have a recession to knock us back. The people at the top and bottom of the financial scale are the one’s that are affected the least during a downturn. It always the people in the middle that get squeezed and lose the most. I never was much of the conspiracy theory type, but I’m beginning to think otherwise. Take a look at the Bilderberg Group.

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 22:58:32 +0000

Hello Larry- We will never win the war in Afganistan. Period. We don’t have the political or domestic will to prosecute the war, let alone the money that would be required to fund a 10 to 15 year campaign there.
The British Empire couldn’t do it. The Soviet Union, in spite of living next door, couldn’t do it. The country is not a threat to America any longer (and never would have been if we had been paying attention in the first place). It is not worth the sacrifice of ONE American soldier. After removing the Taliban regime we should have left. And if we had, I bet the country by now would happily be ensconced back into it’s feudal existance. Where it belongs. Sort of like how America would be much further along in our economic recovery had it been left to the markets, not to the stimulus programs. A B-52 speakes louder than any school construction, water plant or road project. Killing the terrorists is like playing “Bop the Mole” at your local carnival. No matter where you knock them down, they pop up someplace else. We have no business being in this nation building nonsense. See Somalia, under President Clinton.
As yourself, I too am a Viet Nam veteran. And it sickens me to see this terrible loss of American life for a misguided goal that will never be accomplished. The longer we stay the more the Afganistan people will eventually pay for our ‘commitment’ there.

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Andrea

Andrea — Mon, 26 Jul 2010 05:48:15 +0000

Larry, I can tell you pay a lot of attention to what is happening in and to America. Your observations and beliefs are much the same as mine. I think PC is killing us as a nation. You couldn’t be more right, “Obama is a huge mistake”. That mistake MUST be corrected. I pray the American people don’t forget what is taking place in this country between now and November. I shudder when I hear Harry Reid is ahead in Nevada. Can people really have such short memories? I hope you are right in that the American people are waking up in huge numbers. That has to continue because everything Obama wants has so far been delivered by Congress and his own executive orders. He intends to do a lot more damage before 2012.

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 15:40:53 +0000

Its Doug (again) here

We cannot blow this blog up to be really effective unless more people than our half dozen “regulars” start to participate.

We need to encourage others to write here and try to get a “brawl going. You cannot beat brawls and outrageous comment to attract attention as proven by the Limbaughs and Becks and assorted crude loudmouths who get acclaim by mouthing off crap of assorted variety.

Encourage others we mighjt get some notoriety and then a more extended audience .

Doug

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Jim Skerjanc

Jim Skerjanc — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:38:47 +0000

The only thing I can say is now we have a NEW worriest Presedent EVER- Obama ) Jimmy Carter thought he would hold that title forever, ha ha We have a New dumb ASSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSSS !!!!!! Obama Every time I see him talk it is dumberrrrrrrrrrr thanb last time.
Thanks, Jim

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Sun, 25 Jul 2010 03:24:20 +0000

Hey John (think we should stop meeting like this??)

You kind of raised a smile in me on the phrase
“After all, they (you know who I mean) don’t hesitate to kill our innocent people, blow up our buildings and planes.”
you showed how political correctness has taken over by not printing muslim if that is what you meant.

John…. risk ostracism by saying it as it is,after all where are critics to condemn PC practices except in asylums or politics The church of molested children is not yet excommunicating members for PC deviation (nor is it rushing to defrock priest offenders nor are other faiths going to blacklist anyone as yet. Probably because they will need support in the pending muslim v christian conflict which will be necessary to cleanse the religious scene of primitive savagery found in “guess which” cult (PC) which intends to corrupt the world with its evilly obtuse absurdities like virgins for martyrs tripe.
What a shower !!
Soap box away…… one respondent above mentioned honest people !! (Now THERE’s an endagered species )
I heard that in washington they were trying the old college preoccupation of “stuffing” vehicles or telephone booths to capacity (what mind bending fun!!) In washington they rented a bus for the effort which had to be cancelled because the honest politicians were in such short supply they couldn’t even find enough to “stuff” a volkswagon.
(IABAP)…. Invest in America – Buy a politician There are very many available from sea to shining sea.

Doug

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Alma Arthur

Alma Arthur — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 22:52:09 +0000

For the November election, we should be harping on real regulatory measures (not a fox guarding the henhouse) on Wall Street and the big banks that drastically manipulate a market (silver is a good example). They hold most of the shorts in silver, driving the price down and forcing average Joe to sell his mutual fund position. Silver is rarer than gold, and it is used up (gone forever) after its’ use in manufacturing. Gold, on the other hand is not used up. This practice should be seriously supervised or abandonned all together. We need honest people to take on this job.

Comment, on the division of Germany after WWII. General Patton, known for his colorful speech, disagreed with England’s General Montgomery about letting the Russians advance in Germany. Patton said,” Let’s rush our boys up there before those Red sonofabitches try to take Berlin”. Montgomery held the higher rank and prevailed. Russia, after all, was an Ally at that time who was also at war with Germany. I don’t think you can blame that one on Truman.

And lastly, everyone look into the methods used in 1913 to create the Federal Reserve Bank (I believe it was called the Glass-Owens bill), written by the 7 big PRIVATE banks of New York in secret, to take control of the funds of the United State money. Jefferson warned this should NEVER happen. It should be repealed using constitutional means. Will even the Republicans tackle this. They owe it to the country. That’s my opinion!! Alma

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by John

John — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:38:16 +0000

Okay, I understand. we have democrats, republicans and othe parties, we have liberals and conservatives, we have the far right, and left. But what I am wondering, where are the human beings that care about THE PEOPLE, and the US of A; who is taking care of OUR government that is OF THE PEOPLE, BY THE PEOPLE, AND FOR THE PEOPLE of this country. Who are these people, when will they come to the surface? Doesn’t anyone care about us humans here in the US of A?

I dont understand all the democrats, republicans and othe parties, liberals and conservatives, and the far right, and left. Why can’t they come to one common goal and take care of WE THE PEOPLE, and this country first. If someone is aggressive to us, we need to STOP them in their tracks, NOW, not try for years until we can talk them into submission. No, All they want to do is hold a position and like the state of California, have no budget year after year because they cannot compromise and work together to get the job done on time. Its those groups mentioned above that keep us apart and fighting amoungst ourselves and not for the COMMON GOOD!

After all, they (you know who I mean) don’t hesitate to kill our innocent people, blow up our buildings and planes.

“Policitally Correct”, is that a new word for the dictionary?

Too much talk and not enough action to show what the talk is about.

After all folks, if someone comes to your front door with an act of aggression, you are going to defend and also expect the police to assisst as long as you don’t break the law first and they put you in jail!!!

A disaster happens in another country, the good ole US of A modilizes and everyone (including the government) jump to help and provide and come begging to the poeple of the US of A for donations. But if we have a disaster, we is all that help, for free, from the US of A and all the other countries in the world. Who comes first? Oh yes! The government gives out cheap (not free) loans, insurance companies hassle for years about what is covered and all levels of govenment do nothing.

But we still have a right to make a change with a vote, and that is important message to our elected representatives. Don’t let the oratations of one over shadow the real person and who we should be voting for. Do I vote for the Orator, or the speaker or a non incumbent!

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:30:34 +0000

Readers of the previous submission

Please tolerate the single letters that keep intruding in my script
It was some mysterious happening caused in transcription of the email

G D these blankety blank computers anyway

Doug

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 21:24:14 +0000

Larry
Seems as if you would happily hang the stuffed head of Obama over your mantlepiece. What a shame your focus is so narrow and your recall of the gop’s totally total failure which they created when acting AS IF they had a public mandate to hurl the country right while not elected but appointed by a dubious supreme court. Where IS your objectivity ???

For me, then a rightist, now a devotee of the middle, absolutely NOTHING can erase those indescribable 8 years with bush junior and the totally gross cheney with his outsize middle finger. an unspeakable indescribable lost period of the era of special interests and privilege . It was a time of wild and rampant use of influence, unethical endeavor, and bully boytactics with no equal I can find

cheny in his dungeon of secrecy and manipulative malaise was monstrously in denial of the WTP’s (we the people) right to know as he convened industrialists to set up the rules to favor porivilege while glowering at the public and in effect telling them to GET LOST

No sir, no more of that political muck for me. Yes I can agree Obama et al are not up to standard but I could not rant about him as you do because I remember the ruffianism that gripped the GOP group when they and their special interests were leading us to the chaotic collapse that gave us the here and now disaster that ensued from GOP decontrol nonsense.

Your anti Political correctness standpoint has great merit and is worthy of enlargement. particularly on our walk on eggs actions on religion in which we are giving foreign faiths more support than our own
The invaders can bow and pray and disrupt to their hearts content.
WTC (we the christians) cannot even display OUR symbols and cutural leanings without censure . No more Christmas symbols no this no that while the invaders seeking to subdue American customs can parade their “bottoms up” 5 times a day and their religious oriented non western garbs can be worn with impunity to support THEIR faith..

Following came through my Email today. I include it here because it touches on the unfathomable political correctnes that our government seems to favor despite its obvious detriment to the mores underpinning our land.

===============

Subject: Can a Muslim be A good American?

This is very interesting and we all need to read it from start to
finish and send it on to everyone. Maybe this is why our American Muslims are So quiet and not speaking out about any atrocities. Can a good Muslim be a good American?

This question was forwarded to a friend who worked in Saudi Arabia for 20 years.The following is his reply:

Theologically – no. . . . Because his allegiance is to Allah, The moon God of Arabia .

Religiously – no.. . . Because no other religion is accepted by His
Allah

Scripturally – no. . . Because his allegiance is to the five Pillars
of Islam and the Quran.

Geographically – no . Because his allegiance is to Mecca to t which he turns in prayer five times a day.

Socially – no. . . Because his allegiance to Islam forbids h him to make friends with Christians or Jews .

Politically – no.. . . Because he must submit to the mullahs
(spiritual Leaders), who teach annihilation of t Israel and destruction of Americathe great S Satan

Domestically – no. ..Because he is instructed to marry four m women and beat and scourge his w wife when she disobeys him (Quran 4:34 )

Intellectually – no. . Because he cannot accept the American
Constitution since it is based on B biblical principles and he believes the B bible to be corrupt.

Philosophically – no. .Because Islam, Muhammad, and the t Quran does Not allow freedom of religion a and expression. Democracy and Islam c cannot Co-exist. Every Muslim government i is either dictatorial or autocratic.

Spiritually – no.. . . Because when we declare ‘one nation under
G God,’ The Christian’s God is loving and k kind, while Allah is NEVER referred to a as Heavenly father, nor is he ever c a called love in the Quran’s 99 Excellent names.

Therefore, after much study and deliberation…. Perhaps we should be very suspicious of ALL MUSLIMS in this country. – - – They obviously cannot be both ‘good’ Muslims and good Americans. Call it what you wish
it’s still the truth. You had better believe it. The more who
understand this, the better it will be for our country and our future.

The religious war is bigger than we know or understand. ….

Footnote: The Muslims have said they will destroy us from within.
end of Email =====================

So…….Why is political correctness given so much significance when dealing with conditions as detailed above. Why are the established citizens told to relinguish so many traditions while the intruders remain unobligated to any sort of reciprocal benefit on behalf of their hosts. the word “nonsense” is inadequate for the absurdities inmvolved. Try out the phrase Nonsensical idiotocracy ..

Doug

Comment on No. 47 – July 24, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sat, 24 Jul 2010 16:30:00 +0000

Larry,
Your first piece was SPOT ON. We MUST become engaged in the process or we lose by default. It’s a well-settled legal matter that those who SLEEP on their rights LOSE them!

Congress is STILL the key. Karl Marx himself could be infesting the White House (and the current occupant may be his demon spawn) but if we sent 218 Americans to the House and 60 to the Senate, IT WOULDN’T MATTER!

I’ve done two short videos your readers may find instructive. Entitled “All Politics is Local,” Parts 1 and 2 are here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fk1bGBY3BcE&feature=related

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ylFTOObbF0&feature=related

Keep on keepin’ on.

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 11:30:54 +0000

Hello Doug- Pleased to make your acquaintance. You hit the nail on the head with ethics and politicians – it’s like oil and water. What we need to do is make sure that they don’t survive – through the use of term limits. But how do ‘We the People’ get a constitutional amendment passed without help from within Congress? I wish I knew.

Something has to happen to break the political spin cycle we’ve been in all these years. It will be a massacre for the Democrats this November, but then what will we end up with? More jerks like Brown from Mass. – a guy that Larry thought (briefly) was going to save America. So a little to the right we’ll go next year, and a few years later back to the left. Meanwhile the national debt will continue to grow unchecked because no politician has the guts to cut spending. AIG or GM may be too big to fail, but I don’t think America is. And it will, if we don’t change course quickly.

Alma wants to abolish the Fed. That would indeed be a great start. Then we could eliminate the IRS, about a third of the cabinet agencies, drop out of NATO (they can afford to defend themselves), bring our troops home from the 100 and some countries they are now stationed in (they could easily protect our borders like they have South Korea’s for 50+ years), and move the UN to Zimbabwe, where it belongs. Think how quickly we could balance the budget. By golly, we could even use our foreign aid money to rebuild our own infrastructure. Egypt, Gaza, Iraq and all the rest would just have to fix their own damn roads and bridges. I say stuff this one globe one world nonsense. Could you imagine what this nation could become (again) if we limited government and actually put America first?
But enough dreaming – let’s do something to actually fix our problems – like maybe dig Lincoln back up like Chavez did with Bolivar. Now there’s a politician on a mission. I wonder what Churchill would think?

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by FRED KIELY

FRED KIELY — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 08:06:33 +0000

THE TIME FOR CHANGE HASTAKEN ON A NEW MEANING. THE AMERICAN PEOPLE NEED TO STAY INFORMED AS TO WHAT THE GOVERNMENT IS DOING. IN THE PAST SIX MONTHS I HAVE SPOKEN TO THREE PEOPLE WHO DIDN’T EVEN KNOW THAT A NEW HEALTHCARE BILL WAS PASSED. IF YOU REALLY WANT TO KEEP ON TOP OF THINGS THEN I SUGGEST YOU START WATCHING FOX NEWS. ABRAHAM LINCOLN ONCE SAID YOU CAN FOOL SOME OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME, YOU CAN FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE SOME OF THE TIME, BUT YOU CAN’T FOOL ALL OF THE PEOPLE ALL OF THE TIME. THERE ARE STILL A LOT OF PEOPLE IN THIS COUNTRY WHO HAVE NO IDEA WHAT IS TAKING PLACE, SOME DON’T CARE, AND OTHERS ARE JUST FOOLED ALL OF THE TIME.

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by FRED KIELY

FRED KIELY — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 06:59:06 +0000

KEEP UP THE GOOD WORK AND REMEMBER IT TAKES A VILLAGE TO DELEATE A POLITCIAN

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by Alma Arthur

Alma Arthur — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:48:47 +0000

Larry,
You did place the word PRIVATE organization in bold print, referring to the Federal Reserve, but practically everyone I know doesn’t get it. They truly believe the Federal Reserve Bank is a government agency. They do not know the 1913 Glass-Owens bill was written in secret by the corupt huge private bankers of New York City, at their private hunting lodge on Jekyll Island, GA. The new agency was supposed to keep the country from depression. The public was hoodwinked by the spin on the propaganda they themselves published. America needs to repeal the Fed Reserve Banking System (really controlled by a few greedy, exceeding powerful men). Why should we pay interest to private banks on money the US mint prints? REPEAL THE FEDERAL RESERVE.
Yes, I have to agree with your choice of words; The United States is already an oligarchy.

I don’t live in New Hampshire, but if I did I would vote for Peter Schiff for Senate. I think he is one of the few people who could begin to repair our corupt system. Alma

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Mon, 19 Jul 2010 04:00:12 +0000

Dear Joe

good to “meet” you online
compliments on your upbeat comments.
As a kid I received a book “Murphy for Dummies” but it took me many many years of frustrating disappointments before its message…… “If a thing CAN go wrong it WILL go wrong.” registered with me as an accurate “bible” of democracy.

Democracy the beautiful became Democracy the decayed in the hands of human greed. I accept what you say: I suppose politicians have always rolled in the muck (so to speak) even back to Grant.

Now as my demise looms I acknowledge the futility of expecting much of politicians of any cult as guardians of ethics: their survival mandates duplicity their drives succumb easily to bribery and corruption and their collective conduct can get nearly as low as street gang warfare.

Jaundiced? Who? Me? You betcha !

One consolation as Churchill once observed something like this
Democracy is the worst form of government… excpt for all the others

Doug

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 23:46:16 +0000

Well, Gosh Darn it Doug, my feelings are now really hurt. Before today’s blog I always liked like to think of myself as an “average Joe” – Good ‘ole “Joe six pack’, just like the media like’s to call usun. Alway’s made me proud! Funny thing is, there really isn’t much mundane about the current reality of American politics, is there? Greed based politics are nothing new – take a look at the Grant administration, for starter’s. It’s been a long history, much of what we haven’t learned from.
Me, I have no intention of dying in despair. What the hell’s the point of that! Hope springs eternal, or so I’ve been told. Dying at either end of an M-16 is a much better proposition, and maybe it’s time to consider that option.

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 19:28:51 +0000

Dear old Larry
Nothing short of collapse will ever cleanse the planet of the human virus. With collapse will come renewal. Unfortunately the most advanced of the life forms will have been blasted back into god’s welcoming embrace ( or the arms of the multi virgins of the Islamic fantasy.)

When you consider the portent of Human dedication to pure fantasy in their choice of “entertainment” currently vastly Vampire and a distinct preoccupation with the absurdities of Harry Potter and moving on to cataclysmic nonsense of varying degrees you must accept that average Joe has no interest in mundane reality .

After you ponder such trends and their implication turn to religion (Contain your impatience politics is in my sights) Now there is huge fantasy Agents of evil masquerade as priests to molest children under protection of a church heirarchy. Agents of the Islam “religion” slaughter innocents and the fantasy that supports gardens with talking snakes and wooden boats overloaded with animal poop sailing gigantic floods commands the faith of millions.

Likewise in politics The fantasy of “representation” survives and here it is labelled “Democracy”. Now entrenched in that democracy are all the highly devious and dishonest traits of We The People and the snowflakes of immorality therein become an avalanche in Washington (Hence my bumper sticker: “Invest in America – Buy a politician”.

Whatever “force” created the mess in which we all now wallow sure doesn’t portend well for ANY system of management of our affairs and our ethics. I will just repeat here Larry that I believe that you could not mount any theory fantasy or otherwise that would not sooner or later be bested by the realities of greed based politics.

I of course am doomed to die in despair. On the other hand you and your worthy belief that the malaise can be countered may lead you to a better end. Good luck I have given up hope

Doug

Comment on Special Edition – July 17, 2010 by John

John — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 18:45:28 +0000

Well, when I do watch the news (listen to) and read the little ticker tape on the bottom of the screen, then really watch and listen to what TV news people are saying, its never along the same lines. Remember TV is in the business as a news bureau…not an entertainment center. Today news in any media form is tainted to what they want to present and the side of the fence they want to be on. Take a look at an old western movie that involves a newspaper in the story line. That newspaper is feared by many as to what they may print; and they don’t control them, they kill them.

I am retired and my money is not sustaining, it is going away, who is going to help me live when that his gone. Why is medicare, when I turned 65, the primary medical provider?

Social Security is as the name implies, not a retirement plan. Think about that!! Why does Social Security give COL allowances, but my company retirement plan does not? When I retired 9 years ago, I was told my dental and vision care would return when turning 65; but NO it didn’t, WHY?

I repeat what I heard over 50 years ago. “The way to defeat the United States is in the pocket book.” Just seems that is what Mr. Klepinger is talking about; and that it is not coming from foreign sources, it is coming right from our our Government; Get this, we elect that Government!!

I repeat again, think about what is being said in this American Telegraph, NOT what you can argue with. Where is our government leading us, taking us, doing to us? The people who work earn wages and then have to give it to the government to spend for “We the people, of the people, by the people”. Who really has control. Protesting does nothing, they have learned how to control and work with that type of faction, and they are doing the same with the converstations and your vote. Take a chance, vote aaaahhh, is that liberal or conservative…or maybe just not for an incumbant.

I was told I could not refinance, not wanting money, just a lower APR, but they said I did not enough equity in my home. No equity because the value has come done to meet the loan amount. Humm!!!

And one more fact: if you take and have time, try an Internet search on the words “Obama and the Chicago Mob”. I think you will find the number of hits and the conversation very interesting. Do a little research on the Internet before you vote. It is fascinating what you find out, and you can tell real from fiction.

Comment on No. 46 – July 15, 2010 by Paul K/ Binford

Paul K/ Binford — Sun, 18 Jul 2010 11:28:15 +0000

Pulling out the race card is a weak ploy. It may have worked to some end at some point, but it has been over-used to the point that it would be laughable, if it weren’t so divisive.

Comment on No. 46 – July 15, 2010 by gary

gary — Sat, 17 Jul 2010 17:52:56 +0000

Larry. Dude. You are going off the deep end. Making mountains out of molehills–and missing the real mountains in the process. American, The United States of, has always been nothing more than an every-changing idea. Somewhere along the way, about the time a National survey of all lands was done, the ideas became subservient to legalisms and to bureaucracies. These days, America, the idea of, has become little more than a quaint, archaic manifestation of “liberal” thought.

It’s hard to think of Washington and Adams and Jefferson and Franklin and all the others, including the Iroquois chiefs and orators who supplied the basis for our ideas of life, liberty, and freedom, as liberal fops, but that is virtually what it has come to in this country.

Getting lost in the semantics of racism, or the tax system, or illegal aliens, or whatever is the complaint of the moment, is merely a distraction from the real issue. The real issue being the fact that we are no longer America.

These day, and for the foreseeable future, we are merely cogs in the global vision of a group of men and women with more money than sense, with more power and influence than their education and experience warrants.

Comment on No. 46 – July 15, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 23:35:50 +0000

Hello one and all: John- thanks for the good laugh you gave me with the comment that “racism was abolished in the 1860’s”. If only the government had the power to control all of our minds like they seem to do to yours, what a wonderfull country this would be. Utopia would reign supreme, and we could all happily pick flowers around Waldon’s Pond without worries of our benefit checks bouncing.

Concerning said benefits, Larry, I wish someone could get the truth out to the American public about the great Social Security rip-off. What a fantastic Ponzi scheme it was, as most people died before collecting what they paid in. Until LBJ got a law passed to place the surplus SS taxes into the general fund (he needed the money to pay for Viet Nam), there were and have been billions of dollars of SS tax funds in excess of required payments. And it is STILL running a surplus. But every fiscal year it is stolen from the taxpayer’s for other spending, and all we hear about is how SS is going broke. Why should all of the people who have paid SS taxes for all these years (which are matched by the employer), have their retirement age raised or their benefits cut? Let’s punish the people who have worked all their lives paying taxes – makes sense to me. Congress needs to cut this insane spending and pay the money back into the SS fund. Unlike other ‘Social Programs’, the people who have worked and paid the taxes have earned their monthly stipend.

Comment on No. 46 – July 15, 2010 by Dean Carpenter

Dean Carpenter — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:50:10 +0000

Hey Larry, I have not responded for a while because of all your paranoia enduced conspiracy dribble. ie chicago thuggery. Of course, for the right, any urban references are code for the “N” word. Anyone who would say that “all republicans/ tea-baggers are racist” would be obviously wrong. However, if you are a conservative, republican, tea-bagger you probably are. As you are well aware the “Liberals” ridded themselves of the racist element in their party with the passage of the “Civil Rights Act” and the “Voters rights Act”. The right welcomed them with open arms. With the new firepower provided by the “KKK”, “John Birch Society”, and ” Calvanist Evangelicals” the “Southern Strategy” was developed. So why all the angst about your racist element. Your party can’t win without them and you know it. Still staying up-beat.

Comment on No. 46 – July 15, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 13:42:03 +0000

Larry,

In keeping with your theme about the REAL reason the race card is being played at this point, you and your readers may find this video enlightening (is that a racist term?):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0pUn7ZxvjfI

Enjoy!

Comment on No. 46 – July 15, 2010 by John

John — Fri, 16 Jul 2010 09:26:35 +0000

I have to laugh at this one! It sounds like the typical American is just responding to what they read and how they precieve what they think they know. But no one is really ready to receive the POINT of the message!

Also, why can’t folks see, SEE, what is in front of their eyes, LISTEN to what is said and absorb it a little before flowing off at the mouth. Wait, think about it, what is the point, the meaning of the conversation, what does it really mean? Nope, they all know is “conservatism” (Conservatism [Latin: conservare, "to preserve"] is a political and social philosophy that promotes the maintenance of traditional institutions and opposes rapid change in society.), stick with the old fools and re-elect them every time.

Follow the one who speaks the best line “I like”, that is going to be the leader. Yep, they always lead to a path of desctruction, not a path of construction. Just look at history, it’s a good lesson for the future.

WAKE UP AMERICA! quick bitching and start speaking for yourself and your governent before you lose it all, including some freedom.

Think a moment or a day or two and what would be accomplised with NO TAXES, but just the 10% EVERYONE pays. American citizens and all visitors.

Is the govenment tax exempt or church from the 10%…No, I don’t think so. Just think about all the paper we could save with no Taxes.

It’s time you need to sit back and think (for a while) about the points we read in this American Telegraph. It’s not here to start an argument, just facts and knowledgeable opinions for one to ponder. It is real and what is going on here in this great country that is slowly not becoming a democracy.

We don’t have racism, it was abolished in the 1860s. We do have people who think racism and promote it. WHY????

“My fellow Americans, ask what not your country can do for you, but what you can do for your country.” #1 Vote liberal !!

Comment on No. 45 – July 9, 2010 by Doc Dolan

Doc Dolan — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 17:12:00 +0000

Larry,

I just read all of the comments below and I noticed ONE MAJOR THING … the only mention of money is “how do we pay for it?”

That my friends is NOT what it is all about! The fact that solar, wind, and geothermal resources will not be developed anytime soon, to any major extent, (in fact all three are already being used) is the fact that BIG companies cannot make horrendously large profits from it! Once some “rocket scientist” figures out how to make bazillions of dollars from solar, wind or geothermal … watch the developments leap forward! Until then, the big money boys won’t let the development projects go through! Either by having their lobbyists fight against the grants, etc., or by just not putting major private development money into them. Simple as that.

FYI: The single, and I think the only, reason you do not see more private windmills around the state of Nevada is the fact that OUR LEGISLATURE was conned (by lobbyists no doubt) to sneakily over-ride a federal mandate that local power companies MUST buy back any excess you generate from your ‘home’ system at current rates minus $.02 per KWH, like the Federal Law says. The only thing the NV power companies are required to do, under state law, is give you ‘a credit’ against any ‘future purchases’ you might make from them! Oh, and if you sell your home and property where the windmill is located … the energy credits “evaporate” as they are not transferrable, nor can you redeem them for cash. All while the power company takes power YOU generate each day and sells it to other customers at the full rate, when they have basically paid NOTHING to generate it. I do know that is the single reason *I* do not have a windmill on my place! The system I checked out for installation here 5 years ago, would have been paid for completely in 3 years and 2 months, by selling back the excess to the power company, when my windmill only ran at 50%. Thankfully, I learned of the ‘catch’ in NV law before I spent the money.

Comment on No. 45 – July 9, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 13:48:46 +0000

Lawrence,
Another thought-provoking edition — as usual.

And as usual, I shall forward it on to my lists and would urge others to do likewise.

And although we disagree about the strategic need for nuclear power in what I pray will again become the industrial powerhouse that was the America in which we grew up, I do agree with the need to fully explore solar and, especially natural gas to replace gasoline and diesel for MOBILE applications.

The current practice of coupling a natural gas or J-1 burning jet engine or diesel to an AC generator and strapping them to a pad for peaking power demand is insane and wasteful. The pebble bed nuclear technology to which I referred in a previous comment (or some as-yet unknown and even safer advance beyond pebble bed) makes far more sense.

As to the matter of nuke waste disposal, there are safe methods now and more coming soon. You made a case for that in the lead story: Despite his best efforts to kill American ingenuity and enterprise, Obama hasn’t killed them — yet. They’re just holed up in Galt’s Gulch until we replace him with a post-pubescent American who can pass a Rorschach test.

Cheers.

Comment on No. 45 – July 9, 2010 by John

John — Sat, 10 Jul 2010 07:56:11 +0000

I agree with your opening remarks; but when our economy is as it is, how to we pay for the change would be the hardest argument to resolve.

All the things you say about the economy, but no one stops to think about the retired, fixed income, and some with monies dewindling because of the economy; but no one wants to take care of the retired folks. Why not reduce our taxes, hwy not make social security harder to get unless you are retiring. Oh, implement the 10% tax and move some funds into Social Security. After all, everyone paying the 10% would mean even all the world traverlers in the USA would pay it too.

Remember, a non vote is for the winner; a vote for someone may take away a vote from another, but incumbants should be a non vote and get new blood, take a chance — after all, California recalled a Govenor just after he was elected.

Obama, he is ignoring the poeple for his own glory. After all, he put HIllary into a position of importance, that is monumental — look at what sue is doing for the country!

And about the “Bullshit”; “never bullshit a bullshitter!” Does Obama know what that means??

Comment on No. 44 – July 1, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Sat, 03 Jul 2010 21:43:39 +0000

Hello Larry- Thanks for having the courage to ignore political correctness and print the truth. It is indeed refreshing. If only the black ‘leadership’ would be so inclined, maybe things would begin to improve for the black population in this country. From the Civil Rights Bill of 1875, all the way to Richard Nixon, it has been the Republicans who have championed their cause, not the Democrats. I remember Marion Barry in a interview years ago, after being reminded that Lincoln was a Republican, saying that that was a lie, a story being circulated by the Republicans for political gain, and that Lincoln was actually a Democrat. So I guess the lesson here is that until people aquire some education and knowledge of the truth, nothing will ever change.
The sad thing about welfare, as you point out, is that it is now generational in nature, and it will take manny more years to change it back than it took for it to become a way of life. Personally, short of a total collapse of the Federal Government (which I am beginning to believe may be our only long term hope), I don’t think being freed of this dependance will ever happen. Regarding racial prejudice, Obama would never have gotten elected without all of the millions of white votes. But Colin Powell voted for Obama, so who’s really looking at skin color? Anyone who is true to their core political beliefs would never vote along racial lines.
Back when the Health Care debate was raging, I was fond of telling my few liberal friends that if they thought government run health care was a good thing, just drive through their local Federal Housing project. Doing so is ‘in your face’ proof of the fact that Government cannot do anything efficiently or well, which is why our Forefathers limited Federal involvement in our lives. When this country fails, which it is on a roller coaster path to do, it will largely be the cradle to grave dependance on government (and the untold trillions of dollars spent on it) that will take the credit.

Comment on No. 44 – July 1, 2010 by Grant Degerr

Grant Degerr — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 05:02:39 +0000

This may be your best ever editorial.

You offered very logical thought processes, and exceptionally accurate statements. This report was well said!

Thank you

Comment on No. 44 – July 1, 2010 by John

John — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 04:29:45 +0000

Well, I can’t agree more.

The points and examples you ring to the conversation is the same as it is before your eyes. But as you insinuate, “We the People” don’t do much about it unless one is willing to speak out.

Why do anything is the main stream. That’s why we have police, military, and an election every four years. But the is one difference, we have the RIGHT to speak out without being tossed in jail like other countries practice. So why is that?

Does anyone care. Look at all the radio and TV folks talking, but they don’t do a darn thing except make a popular image and get paid big wages for all that talk.

Guess what would happen if even 50% of the Americans spoke out, but not once, but every week. Hummm, wonder what that might accomplish?

Rules are Rules unless you get caught. It took time for some of the heavy weights who got caught, but then it was too late. What took so long?

Comment on No. 44 – July 1, 2010 by Doug

Doug — Fri, 02 Jul 2010 03:09:58 +0000

About your concepts of “desirable” government
Please do expound on the following

If free enterprise and “decontrol” are so “desirable” ……
How come Bernie Madoff, and the multitude of “advantaged” people who mercilessly rip off the underpriviledged with their loutish greed.
continue to surface and befoul the portraits of human conduct.

Sorry Larry I am unwilling to beg the question that humanity can yet be a synonym for decency. It will be centuries that pass before we “children of god” remove the grime from our faces…That is IF we can survive centuries considering the ills we bring to the planet by just being human AND being here.

Once again “Good bloody Luck” in your quest for political answers
to “We The People’s” failings whether those failings be Religious as interpreted by Roman Catholic Pedophile Priests or prehistoric Muslim practitioners busily beheading non muslim innocents or treating females in ways that reflect primitives of the stone age

We the people may qualify for better government when we ” wash our own faces” so to speak.

MY point; The “white chargers” of rightism or leftism look mighty like Zebras to this observer and lets mix a metaphor here and wonder if leopards will ever morph into spotless creatures.

Doubt it

Doug

Comment on Special Edition – June 30, 2010 by D Lomas

D Lomas — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:27:32 +0000

Larry the politicians are only minimally to blame for their messes
Look to “We The People” who “duh” therir way through the political cesspool.

So many “duh” people cannot muster the common sense to sort day from night. They have no chance of pondering logic they were not taught original thought in school.

I’ll diverge to underline my point in an everyday example which so often highlights population dumbness

Drive around town at weekend Read the garage sale signs which aim to attract motorists to visit sale sites. Some are hardly readable many others scream very boldly GARAGE SALE in huge letters but tell the address in tiny writng that cannot be read more than 2 feet away

The signs embellished sometimes with “art work” are useless for their sole purpose which is to get passing drivers to the sale site.

Abovementioned takes an everday frequent happening and asks where are the mental powers of the sign writers and how can such dumbness generate sensible political thinking when straight SIMPLE commonsense is at such a premium in the USA ???

Larry you are to be commended for trying to reach the pinpoints of logic that flicker but dimly behind the closed doors of most minds in this day and age where slogans and money substitute for thought

Good bloody luck

Doug

Comment on Special Edition – June 30, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Thu, 01 Jul 2010 01:11:34 +0000

Gee Lary, and just when I thought it was safe to get back into the water! How quickly we forget that the stock market was in the 7,000’s not so long ago. It’s been over (or just below) 10,000 for quite some time now, so if this isn’t decline, I don’t know what is.

Obama will never order a strike against Iran, because he’s a Muslim. Not to mention the fact that he doesn’t have the guts. But Netanyahu is a different animal all together – and Israel purchased (not to be confused with actually paying for) several hundred bunker buster smart bombs from us in the last quarter of the GB administration. Hmmm.

All generals, regardless of the number of stars on their shoulder boards, posess boundless ego’s. None would willingly partake of humiliation and forced retirement. McCrystal was not yet vested in his retirement benifits from his last promotion. NONE of these people retire until they are passed over for promotion, which then usually sparks their retirement. Foot in Mouth Disease does not discriminate, and to think that McCrystal wanted ‘out’ of Afganistan is preposterous. But the current rules of engagement there are criminal, and until changed we will never win the war. You have to kill the enemy first – then you win the hearts and minds and rebuild the infastructure. Or, mission accomplished (killing the enemy), pull the hell out. This saves lots of money and lives, and we should have been gone three or four years ago. This rathole of a country is not worth the life of even one American soldier. There is no way we will lift them out of their stone age lifestyle. And we can always bomb them back into it if they get uppity. Gen. Petraeus is no fool. Please see ‘ego’ above. But this whole thing is really beginning to smell much like Viet Nam.

The Republicans are still the same old Republicans. Look at Boehner’s idiotic comments concerning SS this week. What a way to rally the base. Can you say “Third Party”.

We finally began accepting foriegn help as regards to the oil disaster this week (about 70+ days or so after the fact). But to think that Obama is ‘milking this’ for political gain is a fallacy. This is going to hurt him very bad politically, especially with the far left tree huggers.
What you are witnessing here is the height of incompetence and impotence on behalf of the administration. And don’t forget that two weeks prior to the blowout he released the ban on most of the offshore drilling leases. But where is the media on this one? If this sorry Federal response happened on GB’s watch, we would already be watching the impeachment proceedings on C-Span.

So the G-20 think Obama may be delusional? I wonder where they have been for the past two or three years? Perhaps they started watching Fox News instead of the BBC. Maybe the Germans, who after all these years and history are still the most arrogant people on the face of the earth, could invite Obama back to the Brandenburg (or is it the Bilderberg?) Gate to polish his image before this November. Sure worked the first time around.

Five dollar gas isn’t going to happen. World demand of oil is going down and will continue to do so for several years. That will lower the cost of a barrel of oil, and should give us that much more incentive to “Drill baby, drill” (Sarah, what a poor choice of words that turned out to be).

America has survived yet another year to once again celebrate the birth of this great nation. And I think that the majority of American’s are poised this November to make sure that we continue to do so.

Or so I hope and pray.

Comment on Special Edition – June 30, 2010 by Larry L. Stuler

Larry L. Stuler — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:55:23 +0000

Your comment about some of this sounding like a conspiracy theory is very apropos. What I have discovered evidences that it will no longer fall into the realm of theory – there always has been a conspiracy to undermine the Declaration of Independence. The tenet that “all men are created equal” (and, of course, women) has been under attack since the ink dried on the Declaration.

There is a legal reason why BP is controlling everything in the Gulf. The legal reason is because Great Britain still has partial control of the Mississippi River. Article VI of the Constitution states that any agreement made under the Articles of Confederation is still in effect. The Peace Treaty of 1783 gave both the U.S. and Great Britain free access to the Mississippi River. See the actual statutes from the United States Code that uphold this fact at http://wp.me/pCW6e-5X including the Peace Treaty.
Why was the cleanup after Katrina such an unorganized fiasco? For the same reason. The U.S. doesn’t have complete ownership of the Mississippi River.

There is more – the U.S. government was bankrupted in the 1930’s by the FED. This is easily evidenced by the correlation between the United States Code (U.S.C.) and the Code of Federal Regulations (C.F.R.): title 11 U.S.C., “Bankruptcy”, is implemented by title 11 C.F.R., “Federal Elections”.
Our vote is nothing more than to elect a bankruptcy “administration”.
Wake up America and realize who owns the U.S. government.

We need to take back the U.S. government from the FED and its corporate friends. They have your money, they really don’t care how you vote. If the Democrats have power, then the FED will push for more government control under some Democratic scheme. If the Republicans have power, then the FED will push for more government control under some Republican scheme. The FED doesn’t care as long as the government gets more power since the FED owns the government.

When you applied for a S.S. # you became a federal employee. After all, only federal employees are liable for federal employment taxes. You’ve heard the name of the federal employee a thousand times – the “taxpayer”. “Taxpayer” is a term defined in the Code at 26 C.F.R. 2.1-1(a)(5) as a member of the Merchant Marine – a federal employee.
So what you want to change with your vote doesn’t matter – you’re a federal employee and you gave away your sovereignty. There are no constitutional guarantees for the government’s own employees.
The FED owns the government, and the government owns its employees – YOU!
See the entire Social Security Scam at http://wp.me/PCW6e-E with all of the above evidenced by the actual statutes from the U.S.C. and the regulations from the C.F.R.

Comment on Special Edition – June 30, 2010 by John

John — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:30:23 +0000

Darn internet went goofy when trying to save my comments and do I remember them, No!! Is big brother watching and stopped my transmission temporalily…who knows!!

However, I rememember my last comment. Why does the President seem to have more power over things than just managing the Executive Branch of Governent? Why does Congress, the poeples elected voice seem to vote against the will of the people? Why is the President limited to term when Congress is not?

Why are there so many rumors about the goverment as Larry states. Yes the coming election is important. One way to find out want the government is all about, vote out all the incumbents and see what happens.

Where did Obama get all the funds for his election campagin and who are the real sources? Why does he seem to ignore what the rest of the world is telling him?

Why does Congress vote items the opposite of the peoples will? They are our elected representatives.

Comment on No. 43 – June 26, 2010 by John

John — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 19:08:30 +0000

I see the issue you are making. Too bad others can only point out other details and not deal with the real issue regardless of the facts you are using. As a retired person, I still have to pay taxes every year. My income is not enough for a comfort zone of life, but enough to live and continues to dawindle do to the state of our economy. I’ve lost the tax deductions by parents had, why? I’m on a fixed income and no one gives a dam about relive for me, in any way. I’m one of the lucky ones, so far, that I have medical coverage from my company and that becomes secondary when I had (not I had to) to go on medicare program. But at least is takes care of medical. Taxes, we still pay the same taxes as everyone else at the same rate and no thought to give us a break as we do not use as much as the average working American. Gas prices are a joke the way they go up and down noadays, when they used to be pretty study for years. Your points have a meaning and when will folks wake up and start thinking about what your are saying. 10% tax on every US citizen sounds pretty fair and would get rid of what you are pointing out.

Comment on No. 43 – June 26, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Wed, 30 Jun 2010 00:36:56 +0000

Hello Larry- Your “simple” solution to the health care crisis in this country will never work, because- a) there is not enough medical infastruture (let alone doctors) to supply the masses with the Cadillac medical coverage that Capitol Hill and most Federal workers enjoy; b) the total GNP of this country could not pay for it anyway; c) there is no chance that Congress would pass it, even if they were replaced by the sitting members ot the British Parliment. Which reminds me to thank Michael K. for the refresher course in English History, which I much enjoyed. We can only but hope that our current president will meet the same fate as our good friend Thomas Cromwell.

Comment on No. 43 – June 26, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:56:27 +0000

May I just add that I DO think that the US has the most absurdly complicated tax-system, and that some of you pay too much tax for what you get… Especially if you live abroad. Considering that “No taxation without representation!” was one of the battle cries of the Patriots, it’s ironic that you’ve ended with such an unrepresentative tax-system! (smug grin here from one of your former colonial masters).

Wasn’t it the famous American, Thoreau, who first enjoined us to simplify our lives?

Comment on No. 43 – June 26, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Sun, 27 Jun 2010 11:48:43 +0000

Hi Again Larry

Just a couple of points of info… These don’t undermine your main arguments but they might be interesting to know anyway…

i) Henry VIII’s launching of the English Reformation was not really the beginning of a separation of church and state in England, but rather the end of one form of separation. Henry was henceforth monarch of the realm AND supreme head of the English Church, so this was a greater “establishment – ing” of the church in England. To this day, a “disestablishmentarian” means someone who believes that the monarch should no longer be head of the church, and that the offices of church and state should thus be separated.

ii) Henry didn’t found Protestantism… People had been protesting against the (to be polite) alleged iniquities of the RC Church for a long time… Think of Martin Luther nailing his criticisms of the RC Church to the church door in Germany, for example. Henry founded Anglicanism: what I think is in the US today referred to as the Episcopalian Church.

iii) It wasn’t Henry’s idea. Far from it — he didn’t really like it, and in his own domestic religious arrangements he insisted on full RC rites (”smells and bells”, as it were), but minus the Pope, until the end of his days. It was his son who was the more ice-bound Prod, just as it was his elder daughter who was the fanatical Catholic. Henry was sold on the Reformation very largely by his then Chancellor, Thomas Cromwell, who pointed out that Henry would be able to dissolve the monasteries and seize their lands and revenues. The Church in England had been largely tax-free since at least the reign of Henry II (12th Century)… You’ll probably remember Henry II’s famous spat with Archbishop Thomas a Becket (”Will no-one rid me of this turbulent priest?!”): that was partly over this same matter of the Church’s insisting on its traditionally not having to contribute funds to state coffers (read: tax).

So, to sum up: Henry VIII bound the English Church and State together to a degree formerly unthinkable, and he did so very much because it made it easier for the monarch (read: “government”) to milk the Church for money.

Oh, and BTW: Henry didn’t want a divorce, he wanted (and got) an annullment. There’s a difference, but it’s not germaine to your arguments so I won’t bore everyone further with it.

Pax vobiscum.

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Sat, 26 Jun 2010 21:11:14 +0000

Larry- I don’t think there are any “simple solutions” or “final answers” to our energy problem. Natural gas will eventually (and should) play a large part in bringing an end to our energy dependance on foriegn oil.
But it will take a major, long term investment in infastructure. As an example, try driving your Sacramento bus to Washington, D.C. and see how far you get. I’m not sure why you refer to nuclear energy as a “complete farce” – as Dick B. correctly points out, the French power grid is 80% nuke – and no accidents. Seems to me that they have taken excellant advantage of our previous Manhattan Project. But the future here may be fusion, not fission, which may defuse the anti-nuke and nuclear waste naysayers, who haven’t had much to complain about since Three Mile Island. Solar has some posibilities, but the pollutants caused by the manufacturing of the voltic cells and the storage battery problem, along with their disposal, is a nightmare. I have an electrical friend (that holds some solar patents) who is baking cells in a garage oven because he can’t get anyone in the U.S. to make them. But maybe we could get China to help us as they don’t have an E.P.A. to cause problems. Nazi Germany in the 30’s stockpiled fuel supplies for its coming Blitzkrieg’s through the use of coal gassification. I wonder what we could do with current technology in order to eliminate imports? Because we will never totally eliminate the need for oil. Look at the byproducts of oil production and its refining that is essential to everyday life. Like the roof over your head and the asphalt roads you drive on everyday. The list of petroleum based products is pratically endless, and its use will never be eliminated. But it can, and should, be drastically reduced.

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 16:22:04 +0000

Larry,

Pebble beds DO NOT use fluids for cooling (use gases or air) and cannot exceed approx. 1600 degrees, so no “China Syndrome” Bravo Sierra.
And the waste materials are “glassified” (taken to an impermeable, solid state) before being deposited at Yucca or wherever.

And SOLAR IS NOT “clean” energy. The process for producing those photovoltaic cells is a filthy and toxic one. Much to the delight of the ecofreaks in California (I, of course, exempt you from that category) and elsewhere, the filth and toxcicity are simply concentrated in traditionally industrial places like Pittsburgh, Toledo or my hometown of Cleveland (where the Cuyahoga River once CAUGHT FIRE from the oily waste from producing the steel for CALIFORNIA’s bridges).

And wait until the new heavy metals batteries to run all the Obamamobiles start to hit the recycling stream! But, without the ELECTRICITY to charge the damn things, how practical can THEY be?
Cheers,

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by Dick Bachert

Dick Bachert — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 14:08:20 +0000

Larry, I believe you are wrong about nuclear.
http://sites.google.com/site/pebblebedreactor/
The French produce 80% of their power with nukes. We certainly can also.
db

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Sun, 20 Jun 2010 12:49:04 +0000

I’m surprised the US doesn’t already do more to exploit its natural gas reserves. As well as oil, the current leak is also spewing much greater quantities of natural gas which (I am given to understanding) is poisoning large areas of the sea bed. We don’t hear much about that, though — why not? What was BP planning to do with all that gas — nothing?

By the way, I must correct you on one point, Larry:

>Perhaps they are thinking, “Screw the little people. They are so >dumbed-down, they will never catch on.”

Surely, this should be:

Perhaps they are thinking, “Screw the small people. They are so dumbed-down, they will never catch on.”

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by Gary

Gary — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:57:47 +0000

Larry,

Taxation is a problem, to be sure. There are not enough negative adjectives in the English language to describe the manifold ways in which our system of taxation fails the American people. But how to change it?

You offer solutions that look good on paper. But the same could be said of communism. On paper, communism is clearly the most equitable, democratic system yet devised. Yet it fails every time. And it fails because it does not take into account human nature.

Implement your solutions, and not only the economy of this country, but the economy of the entire world would come to a screeching halt.

Because what you leave out is where most of those tax dollars go. Most of our tax dollars go not to providing us with the kind of government and services that we need, but to perpetuating the largest, most ungainly, most ineffective–well, let’s just say it, the most FUBAR bureaucracy in recorded history.

This bureaucracy–City, County, State, and Federal–is not confined to mere government. Its amoeba-like tentacles reach into nearly every big corporation. In short, all those tax dollars support the single biggest employer on the planet–an employer so big, so diffuse, so out-of-control that there is zero chance of eradicating it.

Implement the changes you suggest, and the world economy would devolve into a vast feudal economy. (To be fair, a case could be made for the fact that it may well be on its way to doing this anyway. BP, for example, seems to be a law unto itself. Trying to pin it down is going to be like trying to squeeze Jello. And BP is small potatoes compared to large government bureaucracies.)

At the moment, we have what is still at least a pretense at democracy. Take money away from that vast bureaucracy and we wouldn’t even have that. We would have unemployment on an almost unimaginable scale. Millions of bureaucrats out of work. No one to hire them because, let’s face it, most of them are bureaucrats. Who in their right mind wants to hire a bureaucrat? I can just see the want ads: innovative, state-of-the-art company wants to hire a bureaucrat to add lard to the company. Or, bureaucrat with 30 years of experience seeks work. Fluent in office politics, ass kissing, back stabbing, culling (and firing) the best and the brightest from the herd. Also adept at using cost overruns to reward the lowest, most incompetent bidder. And so on.

We won’t even go into the kind of benefits that bureaucrats get in relation to the rest of society. Or to the vast industry, itself another bureaucracy, that service those benefits.

You want to get rid of all that? Damn, Larry. What’s wrong with you? It’s the American Way. It became that way about the time you were frittering away your youth by wandering around a little country on the other side of the world that had absolutely no importance to the American people, getting your ass shot at by people who were as alien to you as you were to them. A vast bureaucracy, one with absolutely no plan, put you there. It’s been downhill ever since.

Solution (another topic): the economy of this country needs to be built not on huge, multi-national companies and bureaucracies, not on taxes, but on a myriad of small, independent, self-sufficient economies. Rather than forcing State and local economies to be part of a vast Global economy, we need to structure our nation on groupings of local economies that are each as economically self sufficient as possible.

A “Global Economy” is good only for Global Corporations. It is not good for democracy–or for any other form of government, other than a government built around large, essentially feudal corporations that could not care less about life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by Jim Simpson

Jim Simpson — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 18:32:48 +0000

You make, as usual great points, how do we convince, “We the Sheeple” to go along with voting for a flat tax when the people who so richly benefit from the system staying the same, will create huge campaigns to fight the idea…
I am ready for a real and fair tax system, and yes I will feel the pain when I go to the store… but if, (and I believe it will) fix the system I am all for it…
As always I appreciate your insight,and I have forwarded the link to many of my friends on the right who will likely not get it and just brand you a socialist… when will we come to our senses?…
It’s good to know that a number of us are beating this drum… Ross Perot supported the notion of a flat tax, but I bet many people have forgotten that…
Keep up the good work, hopefully it makes sensible people take a moment to stop and think… The system as it is certainly is not working for the majority of Americans…
We need a set of politicians who are not beholding to corporate interest…

Comment on No. 42 – June 19, 2010 by John

John — Sat, 19 Jun 2010 14:43:35 +0000

Talk about ideas, but the best thought here is more than an idea. You have to sit back and absorb the conversation and think what is being said here. Why do many of the Congress people and Senators keep getting reelected for decades. And remember, in you state you only get to elect 2 Senators; However, those with the big populations have more Congress people than the less populous states. Where is the balance of representation. Some are weak, some give in, some trade votes, others stand off but bow to the party. Where is the “WE THE PEOPLE” representation?

Now, when Mr. Klepinger (a world traveler) talks about taxes, I believe his theory. Just think for a moment of all the waste surronding taxes and the great amount of poeple having jobs and the mounds of paper work just to collect taxes. Today, I”m on a fixed income, everything keeps going up, but not my income, I even pay taxes on my Social Security if my income is over a certain amount. My tax deductions are about 1/4 of what my parents used to get 50 years ago. WHY DID THAT CHANGE?

Think about all the examples of Corporate America and what they get to deduct, AND WHY? Look at your TV commercials, guess how much they pay the TV stations to run them…and get a TAX DEDUCTION. And that TV commercial pays the salary of the people you watch. Think about the morning shows and realize the actual air time they are on the broadcast you see…and the rest of the time is commercials. Yes, the 10% idea is one where everyone pays equally and only the business have to keep track, no one else does.

Now Klepinger talks about government control. Ya that is a bit of truth. But remember, as long as Americans sit back, relax, enjoy the good life, the elected representatives do as they please. What does all the congressional investigations do for US?

As for energy sources, it took laws to get garbage companies to do the right thing for collecting our waste. WHY?

How about this: Investigation to find a better cleaning solution rather than chemicals to clean parts for space craft found that by using the right type of nozzle and pressure, water did a better job than chemicals. But that did not happen without laws being passed.

Funny, we have the technology to make all these latest electronic devices that people buy up, but no one does what is right for whatever unless a law is passed.

Well folks, its simple to get a law passed, if WE THE PEOPLE speak up, but it takes everyone to speak up, not just a few who get ignored.

Afterall, the Internet is now becoming another target for government controls. 1) WHY? 2) what are they going to control? 3) who is bringing up this idea?

What is next, must we all wear uniforms to define our place in society?

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Jeff Potter

Jeff Potter — Tue, 15 Jun 2010 15:11:56 +0000

Hey Larry,

I couldn’t agree more about the “flat tax”, though I suspect the real number necessary might be more like 16 or 17%. Then again, as I once said in a previous comment on this, I leave that to wiser heads to figure out. There are others much more capable than I to do this.

I don’t know how long ago I talked about this very thing myself on one of your blogs, but it has been quite a while now. Some of the things I believe I mentioned at the time (and which may bear repeating) are that Canada does something similar to this now. I believe they call it a Goods and Services Tax.

I also pointed before that this tax gets everyone, no matter what their income is derived from. I certainly don’t condone anything illegal, but I am sure that drug dealers as well as corporate leaders buy food, cars, clothing, etc. Hmmm…drug dealers / corporate leaders…illegal income…well, I digress.

We have all had simple yard sales or sold a used car off our front lawn for cash. How many of us have declared those earnings to the IRS? What about the illegal immigrants who pay no taxes to our country? They still pay for goods and services, don’t they? Our country would get it’s fair share from everyone this way.

I have been a huge proponent of this idea for a very long time. And I like to think of myself as a positive thinker. You know me pretty well, Larry. I am not by any stretch of the imagination one of the “sheeple” out there. However, I don’t really fancy myself a leader. I am a pretty good facilitator and a great supporter and I would like to openly offer whatever services I can to anyone who is willing to step up to the plate and run the gauntlet to get this done. This kind of thing needs leaders, not cheerleaders.

I feel that your run at the system back in ‘04 was a powerful example of what is possible when someone with the intelligence and charisma is just willing to apply those qualities. Maybe I should have added chutspah (sp?) as well.

If what you are doing is considered bitching and moaning by some, I challenge them to try their own hand at affecting the kind of change that this great nation of ours needs in order to get back to the America that I grew up in. I am here for support in whatever way I can be. If I were better connected, I might consider taking a run at something myself.

Some additional ideas to consider…mandatory retirement at a certain age with a large government stipend. Again, I’m not a numbers guy, but let’s throw out something like this:

Every American citizen must retire at the age of 55 (I’m 56 tomorrow, by the way) and is handed a stipend of one million dollars. He or she must then either pay off or buy a minimum of one home in America and buy at least one American made car (and pay CASH).

The remainder of that money may be used in any way he or she wishes. Starting a small business is acceptable, but the owner might have stipulations on how many employees they can have. the point is that this person who is now retired, must stay retired and open up (or create) more job opportunities for others.

There is much more to this little plan of mine and again…wiser heads…but it could work. Do you think the illegal immigration problem might change if people were rewarded with $1,000,000 at the age of 55 for being American citizens? Of course, there would have to be some sort of time invested…say having been a citizen for a minimum of fifteen years in order to receive the stipend.

Anyway, blah, blah, blah. I’m ready to help. Just point me in the right direction and show me someone with some guts. I’ll back them. Or I’ll give it a shot myself. Where do I go from here? Ideas? Comments? If anyone out there has any, I gladly give Larry permission to pass along my contact information.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Dean Carpenter

Dean Carpenter — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 16:14:59 +0000

Hey Larry, yep, I still read your letter. This response will be from another “negative thinker” because I vehemently disagree with the premise put forth. The argument that flat tax rates or sales tax on food are fair is laughably tragic. There is no evidence that lowering tax rates on the top stimulates any thing but euphoria for the top. You and I are roughly the same age so you might recall the neo-con god Milton Freidman. Since Prof. Freidman (another thug from the University of Chicago) rejected Keynesian thinking and put forth his theory of supply side economics, or what I like to call “feudalism”. Folks on your side have been able to dupe ordinary, working, middle and lower middle class Americans into thinking we’re just another tax cut for the wealthy away from economic nirvana. Again, there is no evidence that this theory stimulates anything but greed. Flat tax theories are for the mathmatically challenged as to fairness. If the public is ever ignorant enough, and your side suggest they are, to impose this most unfair of tax systems it will mean the extinction of the middle class and a return to “the Land O Gentry” that Jefferson and Madison warned of. How’s that for up-beat.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 15:42:09 +0000

Michael,

Thanks for your input. I failed to include the link to the website that explains the bill in great detail: http://www.fairtax.org
Basically, the FairTax REPLACES all forms of tax on income, and calls for repeal of the 16th Amendment (not a small task, I know, hence the large number of naysayers). What makes it “fair,” and this is the real magic behind the plan, is that a “pre-bate” is sent to every household, regardless of income, each month based on the household size to cover the cost of taxes paid up to the respective poverty level as established each year by HHS. This not only completely UNTAXES those living below the poverty level but also makes the sales tax progressive instead of regressive. That is, the more you SPEND, the higher your effective tax rate becomes. You don’t have to file a tax return, save receipts, etc., and the IRS becomes obsolete. For more info, please check out the website above.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 06:03:04 +0000

PPS. Oh, and Larry — to correct you on a point of information.

BP is not just “BP”, nor does it stand for “British Petroleum”; The full title is BP Co. Ltd., and it stands for “British Pinko Conspiracy, Leninist-Trotskyite Division.” It’s often abbreviated, however, to “Belching Petroleum Cock-up”.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:32:23 +0000

PS. As regards your people’s natural-tendency-towards-cowardice point, when Stephenson first launched his “Rocket” on the Stockton-Darlington railway line, the sceptics said, “Human beings will never be abel to survive acceleration to 30mph.” Ho-ho. In the event, the passengers were fine, but the Home Secretary, Robert Huskisson, who was presiding over the ceremonial opening, slipped under the wheels of the train and was killed. The majesty of British government at its most impressive! There’s a moral there of some kind, but I’m not sure what.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Michael Kruse

Michael Kruse — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 02:19:28 +0000

Hi Larry

Challenging as ever. I just want to comment on the Tax proposal, from the point of view of the other side of the pond (Britain — of course, we’re damned pinkos over here)…

It all depends on what you mean by “fair”. The 10% sales tax is clearly fair in one respect, ie. everybody pays the same percentage, and how much you pay depends on what you spend. However, there are many people — not just the damned pinkos in Blighty but also a substantial number of Americans — who believe that the wealthy have a responsibility to help the less well-off. Obviously, we can argue about this, but if one does think so, a means-tested tax at source seems fairer.

If Joe has an income of 20,000 dollars, he perhaps spends 17,000 and saves/invests 3,000. He thus pays 1,700 in tax, ie. approx. 8%.

If Jack has an income of 100,000, he perhaps spends 30,000 and saves/invests 70,000. He thus pays 3,000 in tax, ie. approx. 3%.

The bottom line (excuse the pun) is that, unless one is Imelda Marcos, one’s basic expenditure does not generally rise in proportion to one’s income. Of course, the rich spend more — but not proportionally to their superiority in income. The disposable income is not necessarily “spent” and thus taxed, or even kept in the US at all. Under a so-called “fair tax” system, then, the richest people pay the lowest proportion in tax.

My point is, even in the US, if you said, “we propose that lower-income groups will pay proportionally three times as much of their income in tax as will the rich”, you might not get very far.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 23:31:23 +0000

Nothing like a well aimed arrow or two to get the juices flowing- thank you Amy. Larry, you have some really great ideas, and I enjoy The Telegraph. But there really is not much new here in the way of the flat tax. The only fault that I can find with your proposal is how does America ‘immediately impose’ this tax – and get rid of the IRS? We really need to be realistic here. The clear and present danger we now face is the imposition of a ‘value added tax’. And I think it’s better than an even chance that it could happen before November. We have no choice but to stick with the Republicans this fall – no other option is out there. But what happened to the Contract With America? What happened when GB2 had majorities in both houses? With a few exceptions, like Tom Davis of Virginia (R), who quit in disgust after 6 years, all of these freshmen legislators become totally corrupted by the power and money availible to them on Capitol Hill. We can’t keep going down this road. I passed out flyers for the local Goldwater campaign office when I was a kid – there has been an ‘R’ next to my name for a long time. But I’m tired of being betrayed. The Tea Party is just the beginning of something that could really put America back on track – the silent majority is finally starting to speak up. This is where our efforts and money need to be spent – to keep the pot stirred up until it boils over.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 20:54:15 +0000

Well I, for one, am doing something about changing the tax code. In fact, I’ve been an active volunteer for the FairTax for about 12 years now. My congressman, John Linder, first submitted the FairTax bill (HR 25) to the House in 1999. It’s been an uphill battle, but today people know what the FairTax is, and that is at least some progress. Most people actually support it when they fully understand it. We’ll always have people who say it’ll never happen. Even Rush says that, of all people. He could actually help make it happen if he would get off his butt and do something, but I digress. Since John Linder is retiring this year, I am now working toward helping his former chief of staff and co-author of both the FairTax books, Rob Woodall, to get elected to the GA-7 seat. One of my neighbors has graciously agreed to sponsor a meet-and-greet at his home, and I plan on getting everyone in our subdivision who is interested to attend. Sounds boring, I know, but it’s what has to be done. Actually, I think it might be kind of fun.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Amy Aki

Amy Aki — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 17:55:12 +0000

Unlike my good friend Joe, whom I rarely disagree with, I don’t see your blog in such a negative light. Gloom and doom is the reality of our current state of affairs and the current administration, despite the glowing reports and fawning from the media — growing economy and job numbers, and other claptrap. Larry I appreciate you bringing focus and insight to issues, fresh ideas for real change, along with your personal prospective — which is what a blog is supposed to be for. As you say, at least you are offering up some possible solutions, whether they be feasible or achievable without support and major funding or not. Anyone else you know? Yes, we need leaders and either an overhauled/reorganized/refocused Republican Party (fat chance of that!) or, as Joe said, a “third, well-funded party, with nationally attractive candidates.” I believe this is what Larry has been “bitching and moaning” about for many years now, and the more of us getting mad as hell and not taking it anymore, the better chances we have of being heard by waking up and shaking up the comatose masses. There are no more soap boxes in the park and public gatherings for open debate. Most people are willingly brainwashed by what the news organizations send out and by what comes forwarded into their inboxes without validation. We are not studying history nor learning from past disasters. Too few of us are actively involved in protesting and organizing against the perils of progressivism. We are dealing with our personal issues and the stresses of just getting through our own challenges. Sometimes, all we can do is bitch until we can vote! But as long as we keep hope in our hearts and a ready smile and a helping hand for those around us, it is an important individual contribution. And while you are at it, find candidates you can believe in and aggressively support them. I did this with donations and attending fundraisers and rallies for Charles Djou (R. of Hawaii), even though I don’t vote there anymore. Winning against all odds, he is now a voice of reason and responsibility in the House. I am also supporting the Florida Congressional Candidate Colonel Allen West, even though I can’t vote in the 22nd district. We can win these battles one by one only when we get involved.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Gerrit Kuiken

Gerrit Kuiken — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 08:23:23 +0000

Larry – You stated: “You pay 10% at the (cash) register, and that is it.”

Did you mean a 10% VAT tax? (value added tax) – which taxes the product during every step of the production, i.e. tax on the raw product is sold to the manufacturer and again taxed when converted to a finished product, or every step etc.?

Or only a 10% national tax on the final product? Important distinction – as they are very different – with the VAT being much more expensive, not to mention – ends up being a “hidden tax” to a great degree. But with the VAT the consumer still pays for whatever the total tax is in the end!

Repealing any part of the constitutuion is very difficult (and delibrately designed to be so).

I might be “thinking negative” but it takes 2/3rds of the House and Senate voting for the Amendment/change and 3/4ths of the state’s approval to do it – (38 states) and 13 states denying it’s passage could block it. This process would take years!

The other way to amend the constitution is for 2/3rds of the states legislatures call for it to hold a Constitutional Convention – fashion the amendment and then again, 3/4ths of the state’s legislatures would have to radify it – not likely. See:

http://www.law.umkc.edu/faculty/projects/ftrials/conlaw/articlev.htm

I have heard that this method of constitutional change is not likely cuz there is not a way to call a Constitution Convention and limit the possible constitutional changes to just repealing the 16th Amendment – that if a constitutional convention is called, anyone seated in the convention can propose any constitutional change (not just repealing the16th Amendment) and if they get enough votes, that amendment would also go forward to be ratified by the states – and almost anything could happen! So, no one wants to call for that method, fearing what might happen in a run-away constitutional convention. Maybe the Second Amendment would be repealed, etc.

Who would sponsor such an amendment (to repeal the 16th Amendment?) The Dem’s? The Dem’s are all in favor of a progessive tax such as our present income tax – so they surely wouldn’t support repealing the progressive income tax and replacing it with a regressive tax. A 10% sales tax would be regressive – meaning the poor are taxed along with/the same as the rich – and the Dem’s are not going to support that either. Several presidential candidates (Huckabee) in the past have proposed abolishing the income tax and having a national sales tax, but that notion never got any traction & I don’t hear any of the present leaders on either side of the isle proposing a national sales tax for their 2012 presidential run.

With the eminent retirement of “Baby Boomers” who will be spending their ROTH IRA retirement money – (which has already been taxed once) – and now it would be taxed again by a sales tax – you are not going to get any support from Baby Boomers to do a national sales tax, which would “double tax” their retirement funds.

Regarding an alternate suggestion to balance the budget – my suggestion would be to put in place a constitutional amendment that would require that the federal govt to/must pass a “balanced budget” every year – no borrowing, same is already required of the individual states. But it would probably have an “emergency clause” in it, i.e. if we are at war (to pay for the war) or in the case of a Katrina Hurricane or a Gulf Oil Spill or the like emergency – so the Congress would be able to deficit spend anyway, always able to declare an emergency – and like the states, which already are required to have balanced budgets, they still seem to find a way around it, as nearly every state right now is into deficit budgets year after year. So a federal constitutional balanced budget amendment would probably be ineffective, even if Congress and 38 states had the will to pass it!

I would personally favor a 15-17% national sales tax that would be on the end product only and exempt food/utilities/medicines and other life’s neccessities/services which would hold it off to some extent on the poor. And of course, like Larry proposed, do away with the income tax/IRS. But you are requiring the merchants to be unpaid tax collectors who would bear all the costs of collecting the taxes, etc. And I don’t know if that is fair either.

And of course, who believes that the sales tax amount would stay at 15-17%? That percentage would very likely creep up like it has in other nations, year after year, and eventually would consume much more of a person’s income. No one trusts the govt to limit the sales tax percentage.

And because the wealthiest among us -could only consume so much – without a progressive income tax, I am skeptical that even a 15-17% sales tax would be enough to pay for the national budget and it would be well nigh impossible to make a “progressive sales tax” where the rich would be required to pay more then the poor. So you probably wouldn’t get the Dem’s to support it.

So, bottom line – it seems we are stuck with the present method of taxing!

To learn more about the shortcomings of a 10% VAT tax, see: http://hotair.com/archives/2009/05/27/are-you-ready-for-a-federal-sales-tax/

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by John

John — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 04:21:14 +0000

Well, I thought to look at comments before I wrote something.

WOW! First off, I guess the folks miss the whole point of your conversation. You conversation is full of information, facts I bet you researched well before speaking. And some of the words in your conversation or just adjectives to help put a little meaning or example to the facts you state.

Has anyone really taken a moment to listen — read — what you say and then think about what it really is bringing to the page.

Now, first, yes you did run for Congress. It provided a lot of experience and practical application of things learned. But your quotes about that experience always help provide some personal backing to what you are talking about. I realize that it helps support real life with the points you make, and that is all. No crying, bitching, or sobing over the event, just using as good background support to the points you make. Too bad some cannot understand that.

As for the income tax offering. At least you put something out there. That’s more than anyone else in Government is doing. Why do we elect these people if they continue to get reelected and do nothing more than before. Become part of the good ole boys (opps… good ole peoples) club and make deals that if I vote for this, you vote for mine.

Anything may be better than the current bashing we take. Why do we have to pay taxes on Social Security payments? It seems the 10% is more fairer than current way of taxing us.

I’ve played with the numbers and it works out okay in my opinion. The word “THE-IRS” makes a lot of sense to point out in relation to taxes. Why it won’t work, as you stated, most people think negative; and therefore, people put up a negative side to it. Welcome change, make a voice and vote. On, Welcome change, ya, I remember Obama speaking on this point and turned a lot of heads. Well, he made a change, we now have a health care change….!

As for the foreign policy situation. NOT!!!!

You talk about leaders capable of leading, Ya, I’ve been waiting since the late 50’s to see something/someone.

Sarah Palin…why is she out on the road, speaking and talking? Larry Klepinger, why is he putting out this letter every once in awhile? Not comparing Sarah with Larry, but a least they are out their doing something, willing to speak out. However, the American Telegraph provides a venue, no one else is doing this … Not even a talk show host.

Yep, Nero fiddled, but today, we watch TV and read Newspapers, pick up a magazine once in while, read the “rag magazine” when standing in line at the stores, sit amoung friends and talk about how to cure the current US or world crisis. So why aren’t these folks doing more, do they even vote.

My prediction — Klepinger will be around doing something more than the next Congressional session!!

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by LYNN wHARTON

LYNN wHARTON — Sun, 13 Jun 2010 02:53:21 +0000

IT’S LIKE FRESH AIR TO HAVE SOMEONE CALL A MISCREANT BY THE APPROPRIATE NAME! IF THIS WERE ALL HE DOESN’T LAY CLAIM TO I WOULD BE THANKFUL! LIKE BEING HIT RATHER THAN BEATEN! I BELIEVE THE MULTI YEARS OF USING “RACE” AS THE REASON TO HATE BY BOTH WHITE AND BLACK PLAYS AN ENORMOUS ROLE IN THE MINDSET OF TODAY. WHITE, FEEL GUILTY. BLACK, FEEL ABUSED. IT HAS GOT TO STOP BECAUSE AS LINCOLN QUOTED THE BIBLE, “A HOUSE DIVIDED CANNOT STAND”. WHEN THE WHITEHOUSE AND FELLOW ABUSERS OF THE PEOPLES MONEY BECOME CONCIENABLE, THE AMERICA OF WHICH WE’VE ALWAYS BEEN SO PROUD AS A WORLD REFUGE AND LEADER WILL STAND EVEN STRONGER UNDER THE CONSTITUTION AND UNDER GOD!

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by joe winstead

joe winstead — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 23:28:33 +0000

Hello Larry- When you ran for Congress in 2004 you lost. Get over it.
Maybe YOU should tone back the bitching and moaning – it seems to me that that’s all your blog is about. Gloom and doom, America is doomed, yada, yada, yada. And we’re not positive thinkers? Maybe YOU should go down and clean up some oil – it just might jump start a new political career for you. We do need some new leaders, don’t we?
P>S: If you could please give us (the great unwashed, uneducated, mouse testicle types) a way to actually implement these great changes in America, I’m sure that we would all gladly do so. But I grew up inside the Beltway so I’m a little jaded – it takes MAJOR money to do or change anything on Capitol Hill. The powers in place do not want change. And until there is a third, well funded party, with nationally attractive candidates, the status quo will prevail.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Robert W. Klepinger

Robert W. Klepinger — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:44:53 +0000

Hi, David. Maybe a glass or two would be a good idea for you too. Drill, baby drill!! Change is in the wind, literally, to name just one. It’s all about the cost…in the short run. How about rail? How about taxing the hell out of development that creates more sprawl? Opportunities abound. Larry’s correct…it would take a real visionary with acute sales skills to move us. OH, we’ve already got Obama.

RWK

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by Robert W. Klepinger

Robert W. Klepinger — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:35:22 +0000

Larry, I’m sure many ‘think tanks’ have created models outlining the NET result if we were to adopt a national sales tax and eliminate the IRS. In order to turn public opinion on this issue, and others such as entitlements, the case has to be made, in lay terms, that it will work better than what we have now. I think anyone can understand that a flat tax is much less likely to foster fraud as long as the accounting for the tax paid to the Fed is open and transparent. Great care and planning would be req’d since the Congress and it’s member’s legal background may fight to the death to stop it. Jobs would be at risk too. Perhaps government would have enough cash to pay all those employed in tax-related business a little stipend for their understanding.

Another thought…who do you suggest would be more capable of addressing all the complicated problems facing this administration? Where is SHE? And, don’t tell me Ms. Fiorina!!!

I turn 67 on the 20th and continue to be interested in having a successful outcome for many of our political and personal problems but, frankly, some of the human behavior we see worldwide just makes me want to drink more good wine.

Cheers,
Your Cuz

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:21:11 +0000

Sorry, I should have spelled that “ANWR.” Apologies to all you guys named Anwar out there. I didn’t mean that YOU should be drilled. LOL.

Comment on No. 41 – June 12, 2010 by David Klepinger

David Klepinger — Sat, 12 Jun 2010 17:11:57 +0000

The whole concept of deep-water drilling is scary at best. Consider this: If you stacked three World Trade Towers on top of each other, you would still have to drill over 1,000 more feet to go as deep as the legs of the Horizon did. Then consider that there is an enormously heavy platform resting on top of these very long legs, and that the platform operates in one of the most volatile areas that exists for hurricanes. I’m starting to think that drilling in ANWAR might be just a bit safer. What about you?