Wednesday
THE GOAL OF GOOD GOVERNMENT!
Wednesday, January 11, 2012, in our 10th year of publication
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Some important thoughts for this week, and for the weeks just ahead of us:
"The people have a right, an indisputable, unalienable, indefeasible, divine
right to that most dreaded and envied kind of knowledge –
I mean of the character and conduct of their rulers."
John Adams, 2nd U.S. president
“To announce that there must be no criticism of the president, or
that we are to stand by the president, right or wrong,
is not only unpatriotic and servile, but is morally
treasonable to the American public.”
Theodore Roosevelt, 26th American president
"Character is the only secure foundation of the state."
Calvin Coolidge, 30th American president
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THE GOAL OF GOOD GOVERNMENT, AND THE CHARACTER
OF OUR NATION'S LEADERS, WERE OFTEN STRESSED BY
OUR FOUNDING FATHERS AND LATER PRESIDENTS
These two two lines in an ad for Rick Boyer's new book, Take Back the Land,
caught our attention this week: "God is calling you to greatness. No excuses. Be
ready to answer the call...If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, your calling is to
change the world."
Note that closing thought "If you’re a believer in Jesus Christ, your calling is to
change the world." Think back to how the Scriptures describe the ministry of Paul
and Silas in the first century, when they visited Thessalonica. It was said of them,
"These that have turned the world upside down are come hither also."
(Acts 17:6) Their calling was, as ours is today, to change the world.
The promise of "change" was a fundamental element in the election campaign which
put Barack Obama in the White House. On October 30, 2008, almost on the eve
of the election, in one of his final campaign speeches he said, "We are five days
from fundamentally transforming the United States of America."
And change it he did! In just his first 3 years as president he has given us an
unemployment rate of right around 9% ... has accrued by far the largest national
debt in history ...has forced through Congress a plan to destroy the world's best
health care system, and which is now before the Supreme Court ... has encouraged
the homosexuals and is trying to repeal the federal law which prohibits same-sex
"marriage" ... has aided and abetted the Muslim take-over of countries throughout
the Middle East ... has given up on wars supposedly to establish democracy ... has
advocated the weakening of our military defense, making us vulnerable to the
growing threat of aggression by our enemies around the world ... and at the very
outset of his reign as president he declared America is no longer a Christian nation,
and has since done everything possible to honor Islam, while ignoring Christian
observances and turning our back on our long time ally, Israel Yes, Obama has
brought about change in our world.
Chris Carmouche, writing in Grasstops.USA.com, used these words to describe
Mr. Obama's ignoring of the Constitution in accomplishing his goals: "Barack
Obama declared himself de-facto dictator of the United States of America on
Wednesday, possibly signaling the end of the United States as we know it."
The United States of America has gone through difficult and dangerous times
before and has always succeeded in overcoming those threats to our freedom.
In 1775, as the fledgling nation faced its first great challenge, Thomas Jefferson left
for us these words: "With hearts fortified with these animating reflections, we
most solemnly, before God and the world, declare, that, exerting the utmost
energy of those powers, which our beneficent Creator hath graciously
bestowed upon us, the arms we have compelled by our enemies to assume,
we will, in defiance of every hazard, with unabating firmness and perseverance
employ for the preservation of our liberties; being with one mind resolved to
die as freemen rather than to live as slaves."
In today's language, Mark Alexander, publisher of The Patriot Post, wrote: "Like
many American Patriots, I get up early every morning prepared to do battle
to sustain Liberty for this and future generations. On occasion, however, I
experience battle fatigue, which can diminish my morale and stamina.
Inevitably in those moments, something occurs that restores both my drive
and my determination."
And looking back about 70 years, to 1941, Winston Churchill said, in perhaps
Britain's darkest hour, "This is the lesson: Never give in. Never give in. Never,
never, never, never -- in nothing, great or small, large or petty--never give in."
And that is exactly the attitude we must demonstrate in this time of conflict here in
our own country. We must pray for our nation and for wisdom to be given to our
leaders, and on Nov. 6 -- Election Day -- now just 300 days away, we must pray
for God's direction as we vote to put into office leaders who will fulfill the provisions
of the Constitution, and who will bring America back to being the nation past
generations have preserved it as being - in Ronald Reagan's words, "A shining city
upon a hill," or in Jesus' words, "Ye are the light of the world, a city that is set
on a hill cannot be hid."
We are called by Jesus to be both light and salt in our world. No matter how
difficult our task may seem, and no matter how strongly entrenched the opposition
may appear to be, we must always accept Winston Churchill's word as our rule:
"Never give in."
Interesting: two columnists with opposite political views sound remarkably
alike as they look back at 2011 and ahead to 2012. From the Conservative side,
Ann Coulter: "America will begin its ineluctable descent into becoming a
worthless Western European country, with rotten health care, no money for
defense and ever-increasing federal taxes to support the nanny state." And
from the Liberal side, Arianna Huffington: "Again and again in 2011, as the
country sat mired in crises and the long-term effects of joblessness, declining
wages, and downward mobility, the response by the governing class could not
have been more disproportionate to the problems."
Do you remember this statistic from last week's issue? In brief, we
pointed out that in the first 19 centuries of Christian history, an estimated 25
million believers died for their faith. In the 20th century alone, 45 million were
killed for professing their faith. Amid all the other problems facing us in today's
world, surely this must be a prime subject for our concern.
The Open Doors 2012 Watch List, released this past week, reports that
North Korea is at the top of the list of countries where Christians face the
most severe persecution. Muslim dominated countries hold 9 of the top 10
spots, and 38 out of the 50 worst countries in the annual report. But perhaps
there have been some signs of improvement in Muslim treatment of those of
other faiths. The traditional punishment for "infidels" (non-Islamic believers)
has been beheading, but in Indonesia Muslims decapitated a statue of the Virgin
Mary. And in Uganda Muslims threw acid on the face and head of a Christian
pastor on Christmas Eve. (Those are slightly more refined punishments.) The point
is that the Christian church is under severe attack throughout the world. As we pray
for our own country, and all its ills, we must never forget to pray for our fellow
believers who are daily facing persecution and death for their faith.
Former Middle East peace negotiator, Aaron Miller, writing in the Jerusalem
Post, described the deteriorating relationship between the heads of Israel and the
U.S. in stark terms. He expects tensions to continue to rise as President Obama
focuses on his re-election campaign and Prime Minister Netanyahu focuses on the
existential threat from Iran. Regarding the President’s attitude toward the Prime
Minister, Miller writes: “Obama doesn't like him, doesn’t trust him, and views
him as a con man.” Mike Evans, of the Jerusalem Prayer Team, adds: "It is a
tragedy for the United States of America, so long Israel’s best friend and ally
in all the world, to be turning against the Jewish state. It would be a disaster
at any time, but now as Israel stands almost alone, it is especially dangerous.
Israel is on the brink of suffering a catastrophic attack. The U.S. is on the
brink of suffering God’s curse and judgment for turning against His Chosen
People." God's Word can be ignored only at great risk.
We frequently find interesting statements in ads for new releases. Here are
two more that we noticed this week. First, in an ad for Donald Trump's new book,
Time To Get Tough, this comment: "President Obama has been a disaster for
America. In four short years, he's wrecked our economy, saddled our children
with an obscene amount of debt, and gone around the world apologizing for
our country. Now, America looks like a broken country -- stripped of jobs,
wealth, and respect. This can't go on." And the other, from an ad for a new
video, The Biblical Principles of the United States Constitution, narrated by
John Eidsmoe: "Now over 220 years old, the U.S. Constitution of 1787 is still
the highest law in the land, and has outlived the constitutions of all other
countries ... The Founders forged into the America's legal documents and
civil institutions biblical principles that have stood the test of time even to
this day."
And we have often cited excerpts from James Delingpole's book, 365 Ways to
Drive a Liberal Crazy. His advice: "Give your small children toy guns, and
tell your liberal friend, Yeah, I think this is the best way to break them in so
they can handle the real thing when they're six or seven." (That should do it!)
So that you can read beyond the opinions of the Liberal, Left-wing media,
we do hours of research to bring you "What Others Are Saying" . . .
Erick Erickson (in Conservative Outpost): "It’s the year most of the country
has been waiting for. Ever since it realized it had elected a monster president...
It’s highly probable that 2012 will be one of those ‘pivotal’ years that
historians glory over… The world is an increasingly dangerous place and,
under President Barack Hussein Obama, even more so for America. This is a
man who identifies more with the stated enemies of this Republic than with
American citizens."
Jim Emerson (writing in The Daily Coach): "At the Pentagon this week the
liberals’ biggest fantasy has now become reality. Barack Obama is cutting
the military budget and using the 'savings' to fund social programs."
Michael Milton (in ChristianNewsWire): "The most important question of
the coming year is not 'who will be the next occupant of the White House?'
The single most important matter before us all is a monumental question of
value...'Will the Western world embrace the very thing that holds it together.
Or will it continue the denial of the obvious and seal its inevitable decline?'”
Matt Barber (V.P Liberty Counsel): "As the political season heats up it
occurs to me that, as important as elections are, unless the hearts of men are
changed, the heart of a nation cannot awaken. Our nation is experiencing
heart failure. It needs an awakening – a spiritual awakening. Desperately."
Troy Senik (writing in Center for Individual Freedom): "2011 was Barack
Obama’s year of living dangerously... the president’s standard operating
procedure was to wait until the eleventh hour, then hope that the resultant
chaos in Congress would be sufficient to get the legislative branch to bend
to his will. If a contempt for Congress was the hallmark of Obama’s
lawmaking strategy in 2011, however, the president looks to be taking it
one step further in 2012: ignoring the legislative branch outright."
Chris Carmouche (writing in Conservative News Alerts): "In what can
only be described as a blatant, totalitarian and authoritarian abuse of
power, Barack Obama, decreed that Richard Cordray would be the head
of his so-called Consumer Financial Protection Bureau, and he made his
declaration without the advice and consent of the Senate, and, by doing so,
he clearly violated Article 2, Section 2 of the United States Constitution."
For some reason, this week we found more "One Liners" than usual . . .
Jonah Goldberg, in The New Media Journal: "The term 'RINO' (Republican
In Name Only) has become an epithet of ideological enforcement, spit out in
much the same way Mao cursed 'running dog capitalists.'"
From The American Dream: "Both Romney and Gingrich are absolutely
horrible candidates and nobody should ever vote for either of them. Both of
them are virtual clones of Barack Obama."
Ann Coulter: "It's been a mixed week for Mitt Romney's campaign. On one
hand, Romney won Iowa, but on the other, he was endorsed by John McCain."
Jim Treacher, (in the Daily Call): "Out with the Constitution, in with the
Obamastitution."
Michelle Malkin, in One News Now: "Our demander-in-chief continues to
issue daily edicts from on high, echoing this administration's operating motto:
'So let it be written, so let it be done!'"
Ben Crystal, in Personal Liberty Digest: "It’s the Constitution. Mr. Obama!"
And, as always, there are a few "Afterthoughts" . . .
About that "encouraging" employment report, Liberal columnist, Arianna
Huffington, reminded us that there were 1.9 million out of work for 99 weeks or
longer (as of this December report), a 500,000 increase from the 1.4 million of a
year ago, and warned the Obama administration's enthusiasts to stay away from
the "Unemployment Rate Truthers," who claim to have the REAL unemployment
rate. And concerning the manipulation of the report's figures, she suggested that by
"extending this lunacy, America will officially have no unemployed, when
the Labor Force Participation rate hits 58.5%, which should be just before
the presidential election."
And amid all the discussion about the current unemployment rate. whatever it may
be, one element of America's working population is not often mentioned: the
nation's pastors. According to figures available from the National Council of
Churches, there are some 608,000 ordained clergy in America, and only about
372,000 are actively serving parishes. That does not mean that the remaining
236,000 are all unemployed, because many serve in other related occupations.
But there are thousands out of work -- while at the same time there are vacancies
in many small churches and in rural areas where adequate salaries are just not
available, in many instances due in part to the present economic recession. This
is an unemployment factor we tend to overlook, but one which has serious
implications for America's moral and spiritual standards.
Not that there's anything particularly wrong about being wealthy, but
according to an analysis by the Center for Responsive Politics, the members of
the House Tea Party Caucus are especially wealthy. The median average net
worth of a member of the House Tea Party Caucus was $1.8 million in 2010.
That's significantly higher than the comparable number for the median House
member at $755,000. It's also more than 130% above the $774,280 average
net worth of the median, non-Tea Party Caucus House Republican.
Another one of those "imponderable questions" -- If we are in recovery,
why have American’s incomes dropped more during the recovery than they did
during the recession? According to a report from Sentier Research, based on
statistics from the U.S. Census Bureau, these are the facts: Personal incomes fell
during the recent recession by 3.2%. However, during the "recovery" (since July,
2009) those incomes have fallen an additional 6.7%. The explanation has doubtless
already been entered into Mr. Obama's teleprompter, and will be read to the
American voters at a timed deemed strategically appropriate.
Our Founding Fathers, who established this nation, had strong views as
to what constituted "good government." We should never forget them.
"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 the 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
"A wise and frugal Government, which shall restrain men from injuring
one another, which shall leave them otherwise free to regulate their own
pursuits of industry and improvement, and shall not take from the mouth
of labor the bread it has earned. This is the sum of good government."
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1801
"A good government implies two things; first, fidelity to the objects of the
government; secondly, a knowledge of the means, by which those objects
can be best attained." -- Joseph Story, 1833
And at the end of another weekly issue of ANC -- now in our 10th year of
publication as the Internet's pro-Christian, pro-American, pro-Conservative voice,
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