Pedro's Podium: Thoughts from Thursday 2-16-2012

ObamaCare So Far:
The passage of ObamaCare and the way it as passed heralded a new age of government control of the American people. There were many, including myself, who warned that this process was the death of the republic and the beginning of tyranny. Over the last week many became aware of the newest regulations that attacked religious freedom in this nation.

This latest attack on our liberty is the most visible, but much of ObamaCare law consisting of unwritten regulations. Since the bill was passed into law the DHHS has been busy implementing total control of our health care. Thousands of pages of regulations have and are being created to allow the government to implement a system that is designed from the beginning to intrude on every aspect of our lives. The Democrats were certain that they could create a system that gave so much to their base that we would surrender our lives to total government control. It is still possible, but this week’s events show that that prediction may not occur.

We’ve lost control of our lives at the most basic level. It was not enough that the government created millions of people who are dependent on government hand-outs, but they’ve now made each of us wards of that state. As the Department of Health and Human Services continues to regulate our lives we may soon find out that our options will become even more limited. With these new controls there will come exploding cost, fewer doctors, and an overall poorer America.

The principals that drive the Progressive movement are at odds with my view of life. When you look at the life of our president you must consider that he was not born in poverty. He was born with a silver spoon in his mouth. He never has really known the life of the people he proposes to help. He and his progressive allies refuse to realize that the policies that have been enacted over the last century have and are destined to fail.

Bigger is better is not a winning strategy. Throughout history as power is centralized into fewer hands with fewer people making life and death decision, the less successful are a people. As the government confiscated the earnings from those who have created the wealth to give to those who only take will end in the destruction of all prosperity. This will only end in poverty for all. If no one is allowed to prosper than we are doomed as a people. The tyranny of ObamaCare and single payer healthcare will create tragedy and despair.

As those in the massive bureaucracy take more actions that redefine the way in which we care for ourselves and our families our choices are going to be limited to what someone in Washington considers prudent and affordable.

Faith:
In 1620 the Mayflower Pilgrims landed in North America as they fled religious persecution. Over the years religious liberty and the freedom from persecution have been one of the foundations upon which our nation has thrived. Basic morality, self-reliance, hard work, and faith in something greater than us are the foundation of this nation's success. We’ve built communities that reflect our individual values. Many of these communities still have an independent spirit. But today we find our communities under attack.

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The basic ideas of religious freedom that guided this nation for over 200 years are under attack even more than ever. For the last few decades the ACLU (Atheist Civil Liberties Union) has push an agenda that is a clear violation of the First Amendment to the Constitution. By attacking all public demonstrations of religion they continue to propagate the idea that there can be no display Christian religious imagery on public property. They also continue to attack any public officials who dare to display Christian faith. There seems to be no objections at the ACLU to the promotion of Islam, but then again the target only seems to be Christianity.

There are many pages of redefinitions written about the First Amendment, so I think it is important to repeat the contents as many times as possible.

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.

The most important part of this entire sentence is the first five words: Congress shall make no law. But today the ACLU and the courts have redefined this to mean that any display is a violation of this very clear statement. The part that is always left out is the prohibition of the free exercise of religion. Several resent court decisions have only emboldened these attacks. This includes the attacks on the Church that has worked to silence the free speech of those who wish to promote and practice their faith and beliefs.

The attacks from the Atheists continue to push for a day when only their religion will be allowed in the public square. This is not what was meant by the founders. By the courts not only allowing but supporting this religious persecution the goals of those who came to this land to breathe the air of freedom will be forever gone. This removal of faith from our society will be the end of the land of the free. This promotion of the Atheist religion must be halted and our Constitutional rights must be restored.