Tuesday
WE CAN'T RELY ON OUR NEWS
MEDIA TO TELL US THE TRUTH?
`
WHY WE OFTEN QUOTE OUR "FOUNDING FATHERS?"
That is a reasonable question . . . and one of those quotes which you
will read in just a few seconds, is the basis for the principal subject of
this week's issue. But first, here is the answer to that question: we
quote the Founding Fathers because of who they were -- the men
who founded this nation -- and because in declaring independence
from Great Britain, and in writing a book of rules for this new nation
to follow (the Constitution), they expressed very clearly how they
intended this new republic to function. It is sort of like the Christian
faith -- that "rule book" begins with the words "In the beginning,
God ..." So we go back to the origins of our faith, to learn what
God intended it to be. It is a basic premise that you have to go back
to the beginning of any venture or any concept to learn what the
founders intended it to be. And now here is, from one of our
Founding Fathers, the quote which sets the theme for this issue of
ANC: "The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be,
first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to
discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society;
and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for
keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public
trust." (James Madison, 1788)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
That is a reasonable question . . . and one of those quotes which you
will read in just a few seconds, is the basis for the principal subject of
this week's issue. But first, here is the answer to that question: we
quote the Founding Fathers because of who they were -- the men
who founded this nation -- and because in declaring independence
from Great Britain, and in writing a book of rules for this new nation
to follow (the Constitution), they expressed very clearly how they
intended this new republic to function. It is sort of like the Christian
faith -- that "rule book" begins with the words "In the beginning,
God ..." So we go back to the origins of our faith, to learn what
God intended it to be. It is a basic premise that you have to go back
to the beginning of any venture or any concept to learn what the
founders intended it to be. And now here is, from one of our
Founding Fathers, the quote which sets the theme for this issue of
ANC: "The aim of every political constitution is, or ought to be,
first to obtain for rulers men who possess most wisdom to
discern, and most virtue to pursue, the common good of society;
and in the next place, to take the most effectual precautions for
keeping them virtuous whilst they continue to hold their public
trust." (James Madison, 1788)
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
HOW CAN WE KNOW IF OUR NATIONAL LEADERS
ACT WITH WISDOM AND MORAL INTEGRITY IF
WE CAN'T RELY ON OUR NEWS MEDIA
TO TELL US THE TRUTH?
This is important. In just a few minutes you can consider what we
have been, what we are now, and what we are going to be. . . and
how to determine that.
The Founding Fathers were clear and definite in their intention that
the leaders of this new nation would have wisdom to know what is
best for the common good of the citizens, and the moral values to
achieve what was best for that common good. Toward achieving
those affiliated goals, the Founding Fathers recognized the importance
of a well informed citizenry -- so much so that they included in the
First Amendment to the Constitution the provision for freedom of the
press. In expressing his views in this regard, Thomas Jefferson wrote
in 1787, "The basis of our government being the opinion of the
people, the very first object should be to keep that right, and
were it left to me to decide whether we should have a
government without newspapers, or newspapers without a
government, I should not hesitate a moment to prefer the latter."
Other founders of our nation shared Jefferson's views; Benjamin
Franklin said in 1789 that we ought to "leave the liberty of the
press untouched, to be exercised in its full extent, force, and
vigor." In 1792 George Washington spoke about the importance
of the press in "facilitating the circulation of political intelligence
and information." Later, in 1810, Jefferson wrote, "No one more
sincerely wishes the spread of information among mankind than
I do, and none has greater confidence in its effect towards
supporting free and good government."
It is clearly evident that the Founding Fathers intended that our
nation's leaders should govern with wisdom and moral integrity,
responsive to the opinions of the people, and with their common
good always in mind. They saw the free press as an instrument of
public information and public criticism, holding our leaders to
account, and enabling the people to decide if the government was
fulfilling its obligations to operate in the best interest of the people
who elected them to serve.
That was the Founding Fathers' intent. It was their dream, and
their vision for America. It was what they were willing to put their
lives on the line to achieve. They were united in declaring their
independence from Britain, and in creating a rule for governing
that they called the Constitution. But that is not the America
that we see today. Just consider these recent polls reflecting
American thought and opinion today.
Against poll results showing that a solid majority -- over 60% --
did not want the president's health care reform bill, the Liberal
controlled Congress forced it through to enactment, under the
philosophy of Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi, "We have
to pass the bill so you can find out what is in it." Today
63% of Americans favor repeal of the bill, and at least 20 states
have joined in a joint legal challenge as to the bill's constitutionality.
Concerning the present Congress, 72% of Americans are not
confident that Congress knows what it is doing with respect to the
economy, and 41% feel that a random selection of names from the
telephone directory would do a better job than the Congress.
With respect to President Obama, 44% approve of the job he is
doing, which represents a continuous decline from the 65%
approval rating right after the January, 2009 inauguration. The daily
presidential performance rating is still in double digit negative numbers,
where it has been for almost the entire past year.
And despite those poll results from half a dozen polling organizations,
the recent media coverage of the present administration, including the
Congress, has been 51% favorable, with virtually no mention at all
of some of the unfavorable aspects.
The health care reform act mentioned above is one instance --
another one very much in the news is the new Arizona law on illegal
immigration. There has been only very rare, very limited mention in
the media of anything at all favorable to the law, but rather almost
total criticism of it -- highlighted, of course, by the threat of the
Obama administration to challenge the law on a constitutional basis,
followed by the confession of the Attorney General, Eric Holder,
in testimony before Congress that he had not even read the law . . .
and a similar confession from Homeland Security head Janet
Napolitano that she had not read the law, but was certain that it is,
in her words, "a bad law."
Here, also, the various polls present a different viewpoint from that
of the media -- 71% of Arizonans support the new law, and on a
national basis, 55% of the American people favor an Arizona type
law for their state, and 55% also say the views of Arizona political
leaders are closer to their views than are the views of the political
leaders in Washington, DC. And despite Mexican President
Calderon's insulting criticism of the Arizona illegal immigration law,
with President Obama joining him in condemning the law, 67% of
Americans do not feel that Mexico wants to do anything to stop
illegal immigration into America. But as is more often than not the
case, the media has ignored the facts and the opinions of the
American people, and has emphasized the inaccurately perceived
provisions of the Arizona law, and the federal failure to control the
flood of illegal immigrants. (It appears that like some of the key
officials in the Obama administration, the critics of the Arizona law
have also not read it. For the record: we here at ANC have read the
law, and the Federal law on immigration which it so closely parallels.)
David Martin, of Media Research Center, summarized the national
media situation very succinctly: "In every instance, the leftist
agenda trumps the truth resulting in distortions, falsehoods and
propaganda. This is what today's media have become -- a PR
department for the left and their increasingly radical agenda."
So by way of quick review: That is what we started out to be,
what we used to be: a nation governed by leaders who acted in
accord with the expressed opinions and viewpoints of the citizens.
And the press provided political intelligence to keep the people
informed. But that is not what we have become under the Obama
administration. The federal government now disregards the opinions
and viewpoints of American citizens and the Liberal, left-wing,
Democrat controlled Congress forces through, and the president
signs into law, legislation to which the American people, by
substantial majorities, strongly object. And the media, obviously
controlled by the same Liberal, left-wing elements, interprets the
news according to the dictates of the Obama administration. The
most recent survey indicates that the media by a 51% majority is
currently expressing approval of the present administration. And to
compound the problem, President Obama has not had an open
press conference since last July -- that is, a press conference where
he takes questions and and responds to them. But that is
understandable -- he seems lost without his teleprompter as an
assist in speaking. That is what we are at present . . . and now we
must consider the third aspect: as a nation, what are we going to be?
And that gives rise to the often expressed question: What can
we, as Christians, do about the tremendous gap between the views
of the American people and the leaders of the federal government?
First, we have to accept the fact that as Christians we have a definite
responsibility to react to what has been done, and is being done, to
the nation our Founding Fathers created and handed to us -- a
nation which recognized the rights given to us by God, and which
operated under the rule of law which guaranteed liberty and freedom
under the Constitution.
The recent primary elections have demonstrated that there is a wide
spread discontent with the present Congress, and already some
long-term officials have been effectively removed from office. On
Election Day, November 2, we will have opportunity to take the
first step in reclaiming America to the nation which was established
on Christian-Judeo principles.
Election Day is just 160 days away. During this period of preparation
we can pray for God to give wisdom to our leaders, and give wisdom
to our fellow Christians -- millions of them -- to make the right choices
when we vote on November 2. And remember that in order to vote,
you must be registered.
And so the future of America -- the what we are going to be --
depends on the votes of American Christians (who make up at least
86% of the nation's population) on November 2.
depends on the votes of American Christians (who make up at least
86% of the nation's population) on November 2.
We keep on the outlook for suitable "One Liners"...
"The Koran: It may be the most controversial book in the
world. Some see it as a paean to peace; others call it a violent
mandate for worldwide Islamic supremacy." -- Robert Spencer
"Liberals have a learning disability when it comes to the
impracticability of socialism." -- David Limbaugh
"I'm often asked whether I support Sarah Palin for president.
I don't. But I do very much support her as America's next Oprah."
-- Mona Charen
"Unless free men and women are fully and truly represented
and engaged in the process of government, we are going to lose
our freedoms and the system of government handed down to us."
-- Chuck Colson
If we omit some items,"What Others Are Saying" will be here.
Skip MacLure: "The whole White House is being run by rank
amateurs. It shows in everything they do. Domestic policy is
an absolute disaster, as Obama and the DeMarxist faithful in
the Congress pile economic atrocity upon economic catastrophe,
shouting to the rooftops that everything is fine and rosy and
please don't pay attention to all those foreclosures or all those
millions of unemployed."
Kevin McCullough (Columnist, Commentator):"In modern
history when it comes to forked-tongue-ness President Barack
Obama excels well beyond anyone's imagination... Because
President Obama is a liberal he cannot simply come out and say
what he wishes he could, for if he did, he would be impeached...
He is misguided at best, or a deceptive traitor at worst ...
Unfortunately, neither option brings 'We The People' much, if
any, consolation."
Charles Krauthammer: "The real news is that already notorious
photo: the president of Brazil, our largest ally in Latin America,
and the prime minister of Turkey, for more than half a century
the Muslim anchor of NATO, raising hands together with
Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, the most virulently anti-American
leader in the world. That picture is a crushing verdict on the
Obama foreign policy. It demonstrates how traditional American
allies, having watched this administration in action, have decided
that there's no cost in lining up with America's enemies, and no
profit in lining up with a US president given to apologies and
appeasement."
Editorial, Investors Business Daily: "The legal challenges to
the health care overhaul were immediate, and they continue...
Repeal bills have been introduced, and polls show more than
half of the country want the repeal effort to succeed. No other
legislation in our history has stirred as much hostility, both
among the political class and in the public. The American
people are rightly upset that the Democrats forced their will
upon them. The public is so incensed that the party of the left
will lose seats this November -- and maybe even its
congressional majority -- over it."
Byron York (in Beltway Confidential): "President Obama's
speech at West Point Saturday is the most sweeping statement
yet of his plan to create a national security policy emphasizing
education, clean energy, green jobs, anti-climate change
measures, the granting of full American constitutional rights to
accused terrorists, and 'engagement' with America's enemies."
New Gallup Poll shows "pro-life" as the "new normal." A new
Gallup poll discloses that 47% of Americans consider themselves
"pro-life" with 45% saying they are "pro-choice." This change,
reported for the second straight year, has led Gallup to call this the
"new normal" for America.
Another Obama "Czar" heard from: The administration's
"Information Czar," Cass Sunstein, says that the government should
ban internet websites from presenting what he calls "conspiracy
theories," such as that global warming is a hoax. In other words, the
Obama government seems to be aiming to take control of what we,
as Americans, are allowed to say, or even to think. Is this like "1984?"
We must never forget our long time ally, Israel. The Obama
administration has been very open in their siding with Israel's Muslim
neighbors, and has not hidden their contempt for Prime Minister
Netanyahu. (Contrast the treatment recently accorded Mr. Netanyahu
with the lavish state dinner for the President of Mexico.) However, it
appears that our Defense Department must have become aware of
the threat posed by Iran, and recently new military equipment has been
sent to Israel, and it has been announced that by mid-July we will have
perhaps as many as 4 or 5 carrier groups in the waters near Iran. But
observers caution that Israel should not trust Mr. Obama. As Skip
MacLure, writing in Conservative Outpost noted, "War is coming to
the middle-east, and it's becoming more apparent daily. Having a
full scale shooting war with Obama as Commander in Chief is,
quite frankly, frightening... He is waffling and indecisive, and
places our country in great peril by his weakness."
Consider the lessons to be learned from our Founding Fathers.
"Suppose a nation in some distant region should take the Bible
for their only law book and every member should regulate his
conduct by the precepts there exhibited ... What a Eutopia --
what a paradise would that region be!" -- John Adams, 1756
"I believe there are more instances of the abridgement of the
freedom of the people by the gradual and silent encroachment
of those in power, than by violent and sudden usurpation."
-- James Madison, 1788
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