Wednesday
MOST IMPORTANT YEAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY!
Wednesday, February 8, 2012 of our 10th year of publication
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A great American leader's thought for this week and the years to come:
"Once a government is committed to the principle of silencing the voice of
opposition, it has only one way to go, and that is down the path
of increasingly repressive measures, until it becomes a
source of terror to all its citizens and creates a
country where everyone lives in fear."
President Harry S. Truman, 1950
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THE "MOST IMPORTANT YEAR IN AMERICAN HISTORY" IS
WELL ON ITS WAY TO PROVE THE ACCURACY OF THAT
DESCRIPTION -- AND ANC WILL BE THERE FOR YOU
In last week's issue we presented a brief evaluation of "where we are" as we
move forward into this new year. Your comments were appreciated, such as
"Right on!" . . . "You got it right" . . . "An honest and accurate summary
of where we are" . . . and other similar reactions. The inescapable fact is that
our nation is in trouble -- big trouble -- and we absolutely have to make some
important decisions before things get any worse -- and this year may offer us
our last chance to do so.
For months we have been emphasizing the importance of 2012 as a national
election year. At the federal level -- affecting every one of us -- there will be a
presidential election . . . an election of one-third of the Senate (33 senators) . . .
and every member of the House of Representatives. And in this election we
must move way beyond partisan political issues . . . this is a conflict pitting
Conservatives against Liberals ...traditional America against politically-correct
America ... moral values against progressive values ... and Christianity against
encroaching pagan religions.
As the Internet site, American Dream, expressed it: "Our national values
are being transformed at a staggering pace. America is drowning in debt,
addicted to entertainment and full of people that think they know it all.
America is arrogant, cocky, smug, brash and full of pride. But if we
continue down the road that we are currently on, we will be greatly
humbled someday. It is just a matter of time."
It may be time to take him at his word . . . three years ago, in February,
2009, just after taking office, Mr. Obama said in an interview with NBC's Matt
Lauer: "A year from now...there's still going to be some pain out there. If I
don't have this done in three years, then there's going to be a one-term
proposition." OK, three years have passed . . . he has spent a lot of taxpayers'
money, and has made a big government even bigger; but he hasn't gotten the job
done, and by the standards he set for himself, he has failed. So let's go back to his
"one term" promise.
Let us set aside for the moment some of our economic problems. We know
that unemployment has increased in the past three years to 8.5%, or the current
figure of a supposed 8.3%, if you ignore the fact that more than a million have
dropped out of the workforce. If that fact had been figured in, the real rate of
unemployment would be closer to 10 or 11% -- but it has already remained
above 8% for an all-time record of 36 consecutive months. Meantime, federal
debt has increased during the past three years by 43% to over $ 15 Trillion,
with the Congressional Budget Office this week projecting over a $1 Trillion
deficit this year, making four consecutive Trillion-plus deficit years under Obama.
In fact, under the Obama presidency, deficits changed from being measured in
"Billions" to being measured in "Trillions."
Instead, let us look for a moment at our moral or religious problems.
Highlighting the news emanating from the Obama White House during the past
several days have been two major "gaffes" (to use an extremely mild term) in
religious matters. First, the Obama administration announced an effective date
of Aug. 1, 2013 for enforcement of one of the more onerous portions of
"Obamacare" -- requiring church-run institutions such as hospitals, colleges and
charities, to comply with provisions of "Obamacare" which are contrary to their
religious beliefs. Regardless of the "spin" put on this action by the Obama
administration, it can only be seen as a blow to America's historic right of freedom
of religion. The primary effect has thus far been on the Catholic church and long-
time Catholic doctrinal convictions. But the underlying issue which is emerging
is that if Catholic rights can be trampled on in this fashion, so can those of other
faiths. Religious liberty either exists for all or for none, or else the First
Amendment of our Constitution has no meaning whatsoever.
It is interesting that Mr. Obama has the support of former Speaker of the House,
Nancy Pelosi (who professes to be a Catholic), siding with him and who vowed
last week that she will join with the Obama administration in standing up against
the Catholic Church in requiring Catholic individuals to buy, and Catholic
institutions to provide, health insurance plans that cover sterilizations and
including those that induce abortions.
Second, in the so-called "National Prayer Breakfast" last week, (the suggestion
has been made by at least one commentator that it should be called "National
Breakfast Gathering" since there is so little time actually given to prayer), Mr.
Obama seriously mishandled portions of Scripture, as he argued that Jesus
taught that the rich should pay more in income taxes. His words were that such
a plan "coincides with Jesus' teaching that to whom much is given, much
shall be required." What Mr. Obama, and/or the people who prepare his
teleprompter texts, failed to grasp was that Jesus was not speaking of material
matters, but of the spiritual responsibilities of Christian believers.
Note that he prefaced his erroneous interpretation by using the phrase, "For me
as a Christian ..." -- and he might be. But Jesus, whom he loves to quote in his
occasional excursions into the Christian world, also said "by their fruits ye shall
know them." (Matt. 7:20) And this is the president who makes no White House
recognition of Christian observances such as Holy Week or Easter, but sponsors
gala White House celebrations of Islamic holidays. And his feelings about the Bible
have never matched his appreciation for the Quran, which he reverently speaks of
as "the Holy Quran." And we remember how he discarded centuries of Bible-
based Christian teaching on homosexuality by saying that he found support for
same-sex unions in Jesus' Sermon on the Mount, expressing his views as it being
"in my mind, for my faith, more central than an obscure passage in Romans.”
Dr. Michael Youssef (in MichaelYoussef.com): "We have had egotistical
presidents before, from both political spectrums, but never to my knowledge
have we had one who saw himself as replacing God, or one who views his
administration as acting on God’s behalf or instead of God. Misquoting the
Scripture is a common practice by some politicians to advance their cause,
but this abuse of the Scripture and viewing one’s administration as the judge
and executioner, not for crimes, but for personal stewardship, has reached a
new low in egotism. Mr. Obama needs to issue an immediate and urgent
apology for his misuse and mangling of the Scripture."
And Senator Orrin Hatch (R, UT), offered this comment: "With due respect to the
President, he should stick to public policy. I think most Americans would agree
that the Gospels are concerned with weightier matters than effective tax rates."
This is important -- and should not be overlooked . . . For months we have
reported on a prayer count-down leading to Election Day, Nov. 6. As of today
there are 272 days remaining for us to pray about what is considered to be the
most important election in our nation's history. This week's commentary on where
we have been ... where we are .. and where we must be, can serve as a guide as
we vote to make changes in the leadership of our nation. And as we pray for our
nation and for God's leading as to our vote, we should also pray for our fellow
believers all over the world who are daily suffering persecution for their faith. And
of special prayer importance is Israel, and God's chosen city, Jerusalem. God has
promised to bless those who support them, and curse those who oppress them.
And the situation in Syria continues to be considered a "massacre" as the killings
by President Assad's government forces now number more than 7000, and when
the normally inept and useless United Nations attempted to adopt a resolution
calling for Assad to step down, the rogue nations Russia and China blocked the
Security Council from enacting that resolution. Meantime riots in Egypt continue
to claim lives, as Mr. Obama seeks more financial aid for the Muslim Brotherhood.
And the possibility of an open conflict involving Iran and Israel looms ever larger.
One of the best summaries of all this is the following, by Bill Koenig (White
House correspondent): “The world is continuing its rapid acceleration toward
the Apocalypse due to lawlessness and debauchery and what is taking place
in Israel and the Middle East…. Their leaders -- through the World Council
of Churches, the National Council of Churches and the Vatican -- have joined
the world community to call on Israel to give up the West Bank (Judea and
Samaria) and East Jerusalem to Arabs who are committed to the destruction
of the land of Israel…. No other world figures have had more to do with the
rapid acceleration of apocalyptic events than American President Barack
Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Our nation and world may
never recover from their time in office. … The provoking of God to judgment
continues!"
It is impossible for any of us to make an accurate guess as to how long this
present system of government, wistfully called "American democracy," will be able
to continue. It is obviously corrupt, and the rule of law has all but failed completely.
But we should not be surprised -- in 1774, Founding Father Benjamin Franklin
wrote as if he had personally witnessed what we are currently experiencing:
"History affords us many instances of the ruin of states, by the prosecution
of measures ill suited to the temper and genius of their people. The ordaining
of laws in favor of one part of the nation, to the prejudice and oppression of
another, is certainly the most erroneous and mistaken policy. An equal
dispensation of protection, rights, privileges, and advantages, is what every
part is entitled to, and ought to enjoy... These measures never fail to create
great and violent jealousies and animosities between the people favored and
the people oppressed; whence a total separation of affections, interests,
political obligations, and all manner of connections, by which the whole
state is weakened."
So that you aren't confused and misled by the liberal bias of the "Main
Stream Media," we do research to bring you "What Others Are Saying."
Sen. Rand Paul (R, KY): "For 39 years, nine unelected men and women on
the Supreme Court have played God with innocent human life. They have
invented laws that condemned to painful deaths without trial more than 56
million babies for the crime of being 'inconvenient.' In 1973, the U.S.
Supreme Court's Roe v. Wade ruling forced abortion-on-demand down our
nation's throat."
Human Events: "No document is more fundamental to the American way
of government than the U.S. Constitution — and, thanks to decades of
liberal judicial activism, no document is more fundamentally misunderstood.
Crafted to place strict limits on the powers of the federal government, it now
serves as a check on the powers of the states and the people — a complete
reversal of its original purpose."
Jason Mattera (in Daily Events): Referencing Obama's interview with
ABC's Diane Sawyer, where he says: "What the American people are going
to be interested in is ... who actually has a plan that makes my life better?
The American people are going to make a judgment on who's going to
bring the country together and who's dividing it? Who reflects the core
values that helped create this country…and who is tapping in to some of
our worst instincts." [Mattera concludes: "If anything, Obama has been the
most divisive president ever."]
The Heritage Foundation: "It has not even been two years since Obamacare
was enacted, and already the President's health care law has taken another
victim -- the religious freedoms Americans hold dear, as reflected by the First
Amendment...The United States Conference of Catholic Bishops is calling the
contraception mandate an 'unprecedented' attack on religious freedom."
Dr. Michael Milton (Chancellor, Reformed Theological Seminary): "The
protest is unprecedented by the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops. But
make no mistake. This is not a Catholic issue only. It is not a contraception
issue. It is a religious liberty issue. It is an American issue... It is time for
Americans to speak up for religious freedom while there is still time. Thank
God for the Catholic Bishops and priests who did. We all must. For you can't
lose just a little liberty. You lose -- we lose -- all of it when we lose any of it."
David Horowitz (in Patriot Update): "The worst thing about the Occupy
movement that trashed our cities this past weekend is that it has been
given the tacit go ahead by the White House. Barack Obama has winked at
the occupiers and let them know he's with them. His administration and the
Democratic Party own the Occupy movement. The occupiers are moving
the President's agenda in the streets with their calls for class warfare and
a transformation of America, as the hardcore left has always said, by any
means necessary."
Mark Alexander (publisher, Patriot Post): "Obama's 'fairness' farce to
raise taxes and shrink capital is the last component of his macroeconomic
agenda to break the back of free enterprise, in order to achieve his
objective of 'fundamentally transforming the United States of America'
from a nation guided by Rule of Law as supported by economic Liberty,
to one subdued by the rule of men under the oppression of Democratic
Socialism."
In our research this week we found a few "One Liners" you might enjoy:
Ben Bernanke, Chairman, Federal Reserve: "The elephant in the room is really
health care costs."
Ann Coulter, writing in Human Events: "The problem isn't health insurance
mandates. The problem isn't Romneycare. The problem isn't welfare reform.
The problem is Democrats."
Tim Wildmon, Pres. American Family Ass'n.: "The Obama administration
continues to violate our most basic religious freedoms. It is critical that our
elected officials do everything they can to reign in the out-of-control
executive branch of government."
The Huffington Post headline: "At This rate, U.S. Job Market Still Seven
Years Away From Returning To Normal."
And there is this "One Liner" laugh of the week from Tom Brokaw, long time
NBC-TV host, and now a Special Correspondent: "I do not want my role as
a journalist compromised for political gain by any campaign."
And just a few "Afterthoughts" from our research this week . . .
Last week we reported that the U.S. had slipped 27 points to a ranking
of 47 in freedom of the press among the nations of the world. In some sort of
a relationship to that report is a subsequent ranking of the nation's cable network
news programs. Of the top 30 programs, the first 13 rankings all were held by
Fox Cable News, with CSNBC making its entry to the list at No. 14. Thus while
Fox isn't purely a "Conservative" news source, it claims to be -- and is -- "fair
and balanced" in its coverage of the news, which is far more than any of the other
news outlets can claim to be.
Makes you question our Supreme Court's judicial wisdom: During a recent
interview on Egyptian TV, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg criticized
the U.S. Constitution and advised Egypt to look somewhere else when drafting its
own constitution. Justice Ginsburg stated: "I would not look to the U.S.
Constitution if I were drafting a Constitution in the year 2012." Instead, she
referred listeners to the constitutions of South Africa, Canada, and the European
Convention on Human Rights, and added, "I can't speak about what the
Egyptian experience should be, because I'm operating under a rather old
constitution."
In their wisdom, our Founding Fathers foresaw the dangers of a radical
judiciary -- which we are seeing today in the nation's court system . . .
"The germ of dissolution of our federal government is in ... the federal
judiciary; an irresponsible body...working like gravity by night and by day,
judiciary; an irresponsible body...working like gravity by night and by day,
gaining a little today and a little tomorrow, and advancing it’s noiseless
step like a thief, over the field of jurisdiction, until all shall be usurped from
the States, and the government of all be consolidated into one."
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1821
-- Thomas Jefferson, 1821
To help make clear the pro-Christian, pro-American, pro-Conservative
view of current events, ANC does hours of exhaustive research, writing, editing
and verifying the facts, so that you have before you the true and accurate news
of the day. To make possible this work and the resultant publication of ANC as
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