America Again

I HAVE TO BE HONEST...

Gov. Rick Perry was my first choice for the republican nominee for president in 2012.  That guy, in my humble opinion, is a rock star governor not afraid to live his faith.  But... sadly he was defeated rather quickly and quite handily.  SO... My second choice was Michelle Bauchman.  I love that woman; she is not afraid to say what needs to be said when it should be said...  Sadly, she was also defeated rather quikly.  Well, you know what they say- the third time's a charm, so I went with Sen. Rick Santorum...  only to be disappointed at his lack of finishing big.  well, I guess he did come in second...

One thing is for certain, my very last choice was Mitt Romney.  A guy who came across as a moderate establishment candidate.  A guy who was carrying an awful big chain around his neck with bling attached to it that plainly read "Romneycare" in the gold glittery letters.  A guy who was the poster child for the evil "one percent" that the left was going nutso about.  Yeah... that guy.  I hate to say, but I was more excited to bob for dead fish in a barrel than to vote for Romney.

I was firm in my convictions, refusing to acknowledge him as a viable candidate.  When it became clear that he would be our nominee I entered a state of political depression, preparing my mind for another Obama victory.  Visions of the end of America floated through my head.  I was beginning to accept the premise of doom.

You see, I understand that the America I grew up with, the America that I had known and loved since I was a small child, is in critical condition.  She is laying in the ICU room for nations, on life support.  The prognosis is dim.  Hope is not lost- but those with any logic know it might as well be.  Her light is fading from her eyes, and her torch is but an ember.  She has been beaten down by an administration that promised hope and change, and instead gave us no hope and a beating with chains.  That once great Lady Liberty, crippled at the hands of her leader.  Her people made to believe that American exceptionalism was a demonic plague.  Her people assured that to believe in America as the last great hope, that city on a hill for all other nations to look to, was nothing more than a corrupt dream worthy of being abandoned on the trash heap of unfairness.  No, we were told, it is time to look beyond what was and accept a new reality- that America needs to be brought to her knees, brought to a place where all the other nations can see eye to eye with her.  Eye to eye, that is, as she looks up- at them.

That America, that once was great, that was the beacon of hope to all the world, had had it's beacon of hope extinguished by a leader who promised hope.  Oh, how I look back to my youth, back to the America I grew up in, longing for her to pull through, to stand back up lifting high the notion that ALL men are created equal, that ALL men have the right to life and liberty, that ALL men can be free to pursue their dreams and reach as far as they are able, that ALL men through hard work, blood, sweat and tears can one day reach their dreams- and more importantly, that they can impact their neighborhood, their city, their state, their country, their world- that we are more than just a number, a nameless peasant...

I WANT that America back.

I WANT a better future for my children and grandchildren.

But I don't see that.  I don't see anything but Lady Liberty taking her last dying breath under this administration.

That is where I was.  That is what I saw.  I had no faith in the possibility of a victory for conservatism. 

But then...  I watched something unfold.  It was called hope.  Not a glittery hope, not honey-like words spoken from the lips of a seducer in chief.  No, there was something else here.  It was hope spoken from a man once held in sway by the liberal left.  It was hope spoken from a woman reflecting on being that little girl refused hamburgers at the local gathering because of her skin color, later elevated to Secretary of State.  It was hope spoken from a man whose family immigrated from communist Cuba, whose father and mother poured sweat- not for their dreams, but for the dreams of their son.  It was hope spoken from a man who assured us that it is ok- no, not just ok but the right thing to do to believe in America again!

The reminder that WE are the employers, and that this president has been no more effective than an empty chair flooded through my mind- and I pray yours.  The reminder that THIS president, who PROMISED to slow the rise of the waters and to heal the lands SADLY FORGOT the millions of Americans without work, without food, losing homes, losing dreams, losing the very hope that they were promised.  Most importantly, we were reminded that IT IS NEVER too late to HOPE for TRUE HOPE.  It is never too late for Lady Liberty to rise up again.  It is NEVER TOO LATE for OUR America to stand up and once again be that beacon of hope, that symbol of liberty that shines forth from sea to shining sea!

YES!  America can be restored!  There IS hope!  Where there is truth, there is hope! Where there is faith, there can be victory!  Where there are people who are willing to stand and fight for her, there is liberty! 

My friends, NOW is our time.  They had their time, those who would see America weak and defeated.  But NOW is OUR time to rise!  NOW is our time to say, that we are TIRED of more people out of work, we are TIRED of more people hurting, we are TIRED of more debt, we are TIRED of the right to life being trampled, we are TIRED of the right to liberty being stolen, and we are TIRED of a government that has gone TOO FAR!

Four years ago, God gace us the exact leader we asked for.  But now it is time that we recognize our wrongs.  Now is the time we get down on our knees, and go to Almighty God, admitting that we were wrong.  Now is the time that we seek His help once again, then rise to our feet, and claim the idea of America, the idea of freedom, the idea of liberty that burns in our minds, our hearts, our souls again!!!  LET US go forth from this day forward and fire those responsible for trashing our Constitution, fire those who have attempted to enslave us to their socialist views, and TAKE AMERICA BACK FROM THEIR HANDS AND BACK IN THE HANDS OF THEIR EMPLOYERS- WE! THE! PEOPLE!!!!

What do you say?  Are you willing to stand?  Are you willing to be a voice of reason in this time of insanity?  Because my friends, the time is now, you are the voice that will restore hope, and your voice was never more needed than NOW!!!

Condoms, Catholics, and the Right To Free Birth Control

And so it begins...  What I believe to be an event that could be a turning point in American history.  An event that, if not stopped, could be the very sign of what is to come...  A sign of treachery, of difficulty, of seperating the wheat from the tares.  Though at first glance, it wouldn't appear that way...  But let's gaze into the looking glass and see what exactly I am referring to...

Why, could it be?  Ah, yes... I am referring to that cheshire grin from dear president Barry Hussein...  And his administration's recent health care mandate.  You know, that one existing in the small words of Kathleen Sebelius, the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.  It was from her mouth that the machine uttered the order that from now on, EVERY employer must provide insurance for their employees that covers birth control, and abortificients.  Of course in keeping everyone's feelings and beliefs in mind the machine issued... Oh, where is it... The number of waivers they issued was...  Oh... I guess none...  But that's ok, because the religous exception is right here in the third... Oh, wait...  No, there is no religous exceptions after all!  huh... Interesting...

Interesting because of the fact that the very first to take notice of this were all the Catholic churches and their many non-profit organizations they run.  And why?  Because birth control and abortificients in any and all forms, in their belief and doctrinal teachings, is sin.  So this means... that they will either violate their conscience, or conform to Barry Hussein and his regime. 

Now before I get any further, I understand that different people have different views on birth control- and I am not debating either side of that debate today.  But rather, it is important to understand that this is NOT about whether birth control is right or wrong.  In all honesty, though it is veiled as being a measure to "support women's rights", I would dare say that it has nothing to do with women either.  Actually, I hate to say it, but the women's rights groups are very much being used like a prostitute by a pimp...  But I digress.

Before I give you my analysis I must also mention that, yes, after much public outrage, Obama did come out with a "compromise" of sorts...  He stated that, by his order, "Religious organizations won't have to pay for these services, and no religious institution will have to provide these services directly."  Key word: DIRECTLY.  Take note of that.  Keep in mind, also, that in his order, he mandated that ALL insurance companies will be REQUIRED to offer and provide birth control and abortificients to ALL women at NO charge.  Yes, you read that correctly. He told PRIVATE business that they MUST provide a service at NO charge, even though it WILL cost said insurance company to fulfil their new "obligation".

But that's ok, cause they are, after all, a part of the 1%...

Right?

Here's the deal...  First off, NO WHERE in the Constitution is the government granted the power to tell ANY business that they MUST provide ANY service for free.  It is called private business for a reason.  Last I checked, the only government officials who actually believe that they have this kind of power are people like, Hugo Chavez...  the Chinese...  Joseph Stalin... And other charming, yet witty, COMMUNISTS.  What Obama has done, without any congressional approval mind you (which is also a Constitutional violation), is a blatant attack on business- and a classic example of redistribution of wealth.

But it is deeper than that.  Notice that he said that little word, "directly"?  Understand that when a company has cost going out, they will find a way to bring in funds to cover the cost.  That is because it is their job.  Their job is to profit.  If they are losing profit, they are failing at their job.  So the question becomes- how do they recapture those lost dollars?  You guessed it- by raising the premiums on all those religous folk who were just told they would not be "directly" paying for birth control...  Because they will, in truth, be paying for it INdirectly.  which last time I checked, was STILL a violation of their beliefs.

Of course, then there is the whole matter of religous insurance companies...  I am not sure how the Catholics provide insurance for their priests, so I can only draw from the example of the Southern Baptist organization.  They hire a religous insurance group that is set up for the sole purpose of providing insurance specifically for Southern Baptist preachers and all of the faith based employees and missionaries that fall under their umbrella.  This means that this mandate requires all baptists everywhere to violate their conscience on abortificients by forcing a religous organization to provide them for free.  As I said I am unsure how Catholics handle the insurance question, but one must assume the possibility that their system is set up in similar fashion.

Understand, this is a calculated attack on religous freedom.  How hard would it be to allow religous orgainzations to provide insurance information to all potential employees outlining what they do and don't provide before they are hired?  This way if they don't like something, they can choose to work elsewhere!  There is also that grand option of the person who really feels they need contraception to make a trip to their local Planned Parenthood and get birth control handed to them for free...  Or, and I say this cautiosly, the idea that maybe the person "could PAY" for their own condoms!!!  Oh, but why would we in this entitlement society require that?

Get this: If this is allowed to stand, we will look back and see this as just the starting point for religous persecution by the federal government.  Remember it never starts out big- it's just the small stuff that we feel we can compromise on that they focus on first.  No matter our theology, church or creed, we must stand in one voice against this- even if you personally have no problems with contraceptions.  Because it is not about if condoms are right or wrong- it's about whether or not the government can require you to go against your religous belief- it's about whether or not the first ammendment matters...  If we fail to stand with those who think condoms are sinful now, well- eventually we will be wishing there were people left to stand with us on the religous beliefs that we hold dear...