Dogs??? Seriously, Dogs???????

With all of the problems this nation is facing, dogs are at the top of the political foray for the presidency.

So, let’s take a good look at the importance of famous presidential dogs:

Teddy Roosevelt’s Bull Terrier, Pete, was so notorious for biting that he was banished from the White House/

FDR’s Scottish Terrier, Fala, was present at many of the most important meeting between international leaders that he probably was able to ignore the extra-maritals committed by #32.

JFK’s Mutt, Pashinka, was the offspring of Soviet Space dog Strelka (obviously a commie plant) survived the Cuban Missile Crisis AND Marilyn Monroe.

LBJ liked to lift his Beagles up by their ears. Surely fun for Him and Her!

Gerald Ford’s Golden Retriever, Liberty, who had a litter of pups, had to train them to be very wary around tumble prone #38.

Reagan’s Cavalier King Charles Spaniel was the first to hold the title of “First Dog.”

Bush, the Elder’s Springer Spaniel, Millie, who liked to snap at the press – I REALLY LIKED THIS DOG.

Slick Willie’s Chocolate Lab, Buddy, who was obviously oblivious enough that he couldn’t keep #42’s trousers zipped.

W’s Scottish Terrier, Barney, who strode proudly along side #43 after 9/11.

And Bo, Barack Obama’s gift to his daughters for their patience and good behavior during his 2008 campaign.

These are only a few but there are goodies and baddies among them all. But now dogs are the focus of the actual campaign. Anyone else old enough to remember who Checkers was?

Hey, we know it’s a dog eat dog world out there so if dogs are now the focus of the campaign… and if it really is dog eat dog… at least Romney can say he didn’t!

The Potential Future of This is Frightening!

I am in no way taking sides until ALL the facts are there. The known facts: Martin is dead. Zimmerman shot him. Zimmer WAS protecting his neighborhood, albeit, he apparently took that role a bit too far in this case. He called 911 to report the situation. He was told that he didn’t need to keep following the person he was calling about. Screaming and yelling was heard and then a gun shot was heard.

Those are the facts. Legally, a court of law couldn’t convict on them alone.

A lot of people forget that the “stand your ground” law applied to Martin as well. If Zimmerman pursued him and was threatening him, Martin had a right to defend himself. If Martin turn on Zimmerman, even though Zimmerman was following him, Zimmerman had the same right to defend himself.

Our nation’s media and even some of the leaders of this country are behaving irresponsibly by convicting either Zimmerman or Martin before all the facts are know. It is truly disgraceful. I was listening to some R&B on the radio and heard the DJ basically take the side that Martin was murdered by Zimmerman and the only way for America to heal, is for Zimmerman to be arrested. Why stir the hornet’s nest of potential unrest this whole situation could cause?

Remember what happened with the Rodney King travesty when the cops were acquitted? I hate to imagine what will happen when Zimmerman is arrested, and proven not guilty…

I am still of the opinion that if Zimmerman willfully pursued Martin and shot him with no or little provocation, FRY ZIMMERMAN. If Martin turned on Zimmerman and attacked him and the only way Zimmerman could protect himself was but the use of a handgun, according to Florida law, Martin got what he deserved. But I refuse to convict or condemn either Martin or Zimmerman because I was not there and I want all the facts before I cast my personal verdict.

The racial aspect of this whole thing is absolutely disgusting. There are those who want to portray Zimmerman as a white racist who went out to rid the world of another black. And the old photos of Martin show a cherub of a young man who never misbehaved in his life.

Martin was suspended from school because of a matter involving marijuana (not that it has anything to do with this conflict with Zimmerman). There are others who have said that Martin could get wild from time to time.

Zimmerman, the white racist, is actually part Hispanic. Furthermore, he had a history of tutoring young people in his time off, including African-American children. It has also been promulgated that there have also been times where Zimmerman acted on behalf of African-American against the police.

Both parties have good and bad aspects about them.

We all need to just relax and let the Florida authorities handle the case. That is what Martin’s family is doing.

Bader Ginsberg Behaving Badly

A Federal Judge or Supreme Court Justice takes the following oath:

"I, _________, do solemnly swear (or affirm) that I will administer justice without respect to persons, and do equal right to the poor and to the rich, and that I will faithfully and impartially discharge and perform all the duties incumbent upon me as _________ under the Constitution and laws of the United States; and that I will support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same; that I take this obligation freely, without any mental reservation or purpose of evasion; and that I will well and faithfully discharge the duties of the office on which I am about to enter. So help me God."

Ruth Bader Ginsberg said the following about the Constitution she swore an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic; that I will bear true faith and allegiance to the same”



How can American citizens trust a Supreme Court Justice who holds such little value for the Constitution under which she adjudicates?

The position of Supreme Court Justice is NOT a lifetime appointment but rather one without a defined term. Article III states: “The judges… shall hold their offices during good behaviour.”

Maybe it’s time we look at derision toward the US Constitution as NOT “good behaviour.”

Once Again, President Obama Misses the “Biblical” Boat!

Once Again, President Obama Misses the “Biblical” Boat!


Obama, making his third appearance as president at the National Prayer Breakfast, used his remarks to justify many of his actions, such as his call for the wealthy to pay more in taxes… He said they were not only economically sound but also rooted in his Christian values.

"When I talk about shared responsibility, it's because I genuinely believe that in a time when many folks are struggling and at a time when we have enormous deficits, it's hard for me to ask seniors on a fixed income or young people with student loans or middle-class families who can barely pay the bills to shoulder the burden alone," Obama said. "But for me as a Christian, it also coincides with Jesus' teaching that, for unto whom much is given, much shall be required," he said.

I still don’t understand the liberal mindset of trying to justify government actions with biblical scriptures that have NOTHING WHATSOEVER to do with said actions. Context, especially biblical context, is something of which progressives have no concept.

President Obama quoted Luke 12:48 to justify his “Robin Hood” attitude toward government entitlements. However, as usual for our “christian” president, he fails to put the verse in context and explain what it truly means.

In order to comprehend v. 12:48, one has to read the entire passage, v. 12:35-48, to make it work:

“Stay dressed for action and keep your lamps burning, and be like men who are waiting for their master to come home from the wedding feast, so that they may open the door to him at once when he comes and knocks. Blessed are those servants whom the master finds awake when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will dress himself for service and have them recline at table, and he will come and serve them. If he comes in the second watch, or in the third, and finds them awake, blessed are those servants! But know this, that if the master of the house had known at what hour the thief was coming, he would not have left his house to be broken into. You also must be ready, for the Son of Man is coming at an hour you do not expect.”
Peter said, “Lord, are you telling this parable for us or for all?” And the Lord said, “Who then is the faithful and wise manager, whom his master will set over his household, to give them their portion of food at the proper time? Blessed is that servant whom his master will find so doing when he comes. Truly, I say to you, he will set him over all his possessions. But if that servant says to himself, ‘My master is delayed in coming,’ and begins to beat the male and female servants, and to eat and drink and get drunk, the master of that servant will come on a day when he does not expect him and at an hour he does not know, and will cut him in pieces and put him with the unfaithful. And that servant who knew his master's will but did not get ready or act according to his will, will receive a severe beating. But the one who did not know, and did what deserved a beating, will receive a light beating. Everyone to whom much was given, of him much will be required, and from him to whom they entrusted much, they will demand the more.
(Luke 12:35-48 ESV)

Now that we have the whole verse, let us look specifically at the context of what Jesus is actually telling His disciples, specifically in v. 41-48. Oh, and it has nothing to do with taxing anyone.

Peter asked Jesus, “are you telling this parable for us or for all?” Jesus does not actually answer Peter’s question, which would seem to indicate that the application is for “everyone” to whom much has been given (see v. 48). The “faithful and wise manager” is the person who faithfully and fairly cares for those for whom he is responsible (NOT FOR THOSE WHOM THE GOVERNMENT DEEMS NEEDY), giving them “their portion… at the proper time.” When the master returns, the faithful manager will be rewarded — a metaphorical picture of the rewards that will be given to faithful believers AT THE RETURN OF CHRIST. The faithful “manager” is then contrasted with the unfaithful “servant” who beats the household “servants” and gets “drunk.” To the surprise of the unfaithful servant, however, the master will return “at an hour he does not know,” resulting in swift and harsh judgment: he will “cut him in pieces (“And the men who transgressed my covenant and did not keep the terms of the covenant that they made before me, I will make them like the calf that they cut in two and passed between its parts” - Jeremiah 34:18) and put him with the unfaithful” —a metaphorical reference to the punishment that awaits the unbeliever at the return of Christ. The latter description, linked with what Jesus said in Luke 13:27–28 and especially the parallel described in Matthew 24:51 indicates eternal judgment and separation from God (see Luke 8:13). “[M]uch will be required” refers to People who have been entrusted by God with many abilities and responsibilities will be held to a higher standard on the last day. The degree of punishment is commensurate with the extent to which the unfaithful behavior was willful. Ignorance is no excuse and there will be varying degrees of punishment in hell

In essence, President Obama has foisted a caveat that steals God’s blessings and glory to promote “Caesar’s” wants as the priority.

One more thing that Obama has done is something that every progressive seems to rail against: ignoring separation or church and state.

There is no such law or given rule that promotes a separation of church and state. But those same people who rail against public prayer, public nativity scenes and even then word “Christmas.,” are the ones who would hypocritically tout Obama’s biblical reference to justify social justice.

A word to the wise – Jesus and the bible are not a “give and take what you want” resource. Nor are they exclusive from each other. It’s an all or nothing prospect. In order to accept Jesus, one must accept His Holy Word and to accept the bible, one must recognize that the Word IS a part of Jesus.

Finally, when Barack Hussein Obama isn’t trying to walk on water, he needs to spend more time reading the bible, instead of being selective of its biblical truth!

Hoffa Jr. Declares Himself a General for Obama

Things that make you go hmmm…

The campaign promise:



Promise kept???

Just Who is Occupying Wall Street???

Hey America!

Just in case you think this whole Anti-Capitalism America Hating movement is something you might have sympathy with, take a look at whose ring your hat would be thrown into.

First check out the O.W.S. website and notice the clenched fist at the upper left hand corner – a long time symbol of leftist radicals.

Now if that doesn’t disturb you enough, be aware that your Occupy Wall Street pals are former Ku Klux Klan Grand Pooh Bah David Duke, the Communist Party of the United States of America, the military, religious and political leadership of Iran, Venezuelan Communist dictator Hugo Chavez, the American Nazi Party, and Communist North Korea.

Now look at from whom in our own government is showing “solidarity” with O. W. S.:

President Barack Hussein Obama

Vice-President Joe Biden

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi

Socialist Vermont Junior Senator Bernie Sanders

DNC Chairwoman Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz

Congressional Progressive Caucus

In other words, it’s the leftists, socialists, Marxists, communists, racists, and even anarchists who aren’t trying to improve this country but trying to destroy it – a la Saul Alinsky’s “Rules for Radicals” and ”The Coming Insurrection” by the Invisible Committee.

And don't forget that there are other cities being "occupied" around the world. And it is the same people doing the occupying there.

Let these lefty loons know that they are certainly free to leave America to Americans and try to occupy the rest of the world instead.

This should be a wake up call to REAL America – It’s time for a rebirth of the Silent Majority. Stand up for America! Stand up for the United States Constitution! Let the rest of the world know that America is the paradise of liberty again!

180 MOVIE

A Parable of Success or Submission

It’s story time!





Once upon a time, there was a man who was hiking in the hills and he came upon a piece of parchment folded and nailed to an old pine tree. He grabbed it and opened it up. It was a map called “Climb Your Way to Fortune.”

The man began to study the map. To his astonishment, he saw that there was an enormous treasure of $5 Million dollars at the end of the path shown on the map. However, the end was at the top of a mountain. There were rivers and valleys he had to cross, but the most daunting thing in the way of that treasure was that tall mountain to climb. There was also one warning on the map: “Beware of the demon, Big G!”

Not wanting to pass up a good thing, the man began to follow the map over those hills and through the valleys, crossing rivers and crags along the way. He was getting tire but finally, he reached the base of the tall mountain.

Just as he was about to start his daring climb, he noticed a line of people to his left. He decided to investigate. He stuffed the map in his pocket and went to one of the people in line and asked, “What is this line for?”

The person, who seemed rather jaded to what was going on around him, answered in a rough voice, “It’s the money line.”

“Money line?” queried the man.

“Yup,” responded another person in line. This one looked a little more enthusiastic. “All you have to do is stand in line until you make it to the front of the line and you get free money!”

The man was seriously intrigued. Why should he struggle and risk his life to climb a mountain to get a treasure when all he has to do is stand in line?

“How much money do you get?” he asked.

“$500!” exclaimed the enthusiastic person.

The man then asked, “What then?”

“Well then,” the person replied, “you stand in line again to get another $500.”

“How long does it take to get to the front of the line?” the man asked.

“About a month,” said the person.

“That doesn’t sound very exciting or rewarding…” the man started, but the first one he spoke to, the jaded person, interrupted him.

“IT’S NOT!” said the jaded person, “I have been standing in this line, over and over for years, and all I get is $500 a month.”

“You just don’t see how good this is?” the enthusiastic person chided in, “All you have to do is get back in line and a sweet $500 is yours. Even if you get sick, there is another line for you to wait in that will take care of you AND make sure you get your $500!”

The man began to get even more curious, “What about food?”

“Provided for you just little bit further along the line,” the enthusiastic person answered.

The man was quite curious so he walked up along the line to see what was really at the head. As he walked he saw all sorts of people; some happy, some sad, some strong and some barely clinging on to life. He even saw the place for food and thought to himself that it seemed a rather boring commissary with nothing to excite the palate. But at least the basic staples are there.

He finally reached the head of the line where, sure enough, there was a tall and large man, sitting at a desk, reaching into his right pants pocket and handing out cash in increments of $500. And when each person received their cash, they seemed to have a small show of relief in their eyes.

Just then, the man noticed the name plate on the desk of the big man. It said: “Mr. Big G.”

The man pulled the map from his pocket and looked at the warning he remembered from earlier to confirm his fear: “Beware of the demon, Big G!” He quickly crammed the map back into his pocket.

The man started to back away, but just then Big G called out to him, “Sir, I will help you if you go back to the end of the line and wait your turn.”

“I was just looking around to see what all this was,” the man responded shakily.

Big G retorted, “Aw, you don’t have to worry about any of this. Just let me do everything so you can get in line to get your fair share.”

“Aren’t you worried about running out?” asked the man, pointing to Big G’s right pocket.

“Not at all,” motioned Big G to his left pocket where he pulled out a large number of bills and put them into his right pocket. “I’ll never run out as long as you people continue to swear an allegiance to me when you get your cash. Now get to the back of the line, sir. NOW!”

Not wanting to get into a conflict with a demon, the man walked to the back of the line. As he neared the back, the jaded person grabbed the man’s arm and pointed to his pocket, “What is that paper you have in your pocket?”

The man told him about coming across the map earlier in his travels. He showed it to the person.

“Ah…” sighed the jaded person, “I used to have a map like that too, but when I got up to the mountain and noticed the line, I decided to try the line out. But after I received my first $500, I lost the map and haven’t seen it since. So I had no choice but to keep getting back in line to survive. But it’s not too late for you! Stay out of this line and follow that map to fortune! You can do it…. But even if you don’t get the treasure right away, keep trying for it and never give up.”

The man was saddened by the jaded person’s circumstances and promised himself that he would do his best to help if and when he could.

He walked toward the mountain again and pulled out the map. Just as he was about to climb, POOF! The demon, Big G. showed up.

“Where are you going?” he asked the man.

“I am going to climb to try to get my treasure.”

Big G laughed in a haughty manner and said,” You don’t need to do that. Don’t you know that if you stand in that line over to the left, you will get $500 a month and free healthcare?” He paused, but realizing that the man wasn’t interested, Big G tried another tactic. “Besides, if you try to climb and get a treasure, I can’t help you, it may take years, you may lose footing and fall, even just a little bit. And NO ONE who is already at the top wants you there…. So why don’t you get in line and let me take care of you?”

The man thought and looked up the mountain, noticing that there were definitely obstacles and even risks and dangers on the way to the top. But then he remembered that the jaded person said “your treasure” to him. There was treasure that was his waiting on him. No one else could have it.

“Sorry Mr. Big G, I don’t believe you and from what I can tell, you have no power over me unless I get in line. I’ll take my chances,” said the man sternly.

“You’ll be sorry…” sang Big G in a taunting tone and he vanished from the man’s sight.

The mountain waited on him, so the man read his map and began to climb. He got about a third of the way up fairly easily by studying and doing odd jobs here and there for a little bit of money. He then noticed that others, who are also trying to reach the top, had opened stores and shops to help themselves and others obtain resources to better their chances of reaching the summit. The man knew that he would never survive this arduous journey unless he could make a better wage. He asked one of the shop owners for a job but had to keep asking shop owners until he found work. After his first month of working, he made $300. He immediately thought of the money line, especially when he realized he would have to spend some of his money on medicine for the cold he was catching.

After a year at his job, the man got a raise to $550 and started to get benefits through his job to take care of some of his healthcare costs. A few more years and a few more raises later, he decided that he wanted to run his own shop. He began to invest some of his money and started earning dividends and interest. Soon he actually had enough to start his own business. He opened his shop by himself and really struggled at first – only $250 a month for his take home pay. After a little while at the job, he got more customers and was even able to hire someone else on the path to treasure to help them out. He was making about $5000 a month – 10 times as much as those in the money line were getting.

Just then Big G showed up on the mountain and told the man that the bottom third of the mountain had sworn allegiance to the demon. And in order for the man to continue his business, he needed to pay Big G $3500 per month.

Suddenly our man realized where Big G was getting all that money to pay out those in the money line.

So, the man worked even harder to be able to make his business profitable, on top of what Big G took. He lad to let go of one of his employees and reduce his take home pay just to break even for a while. Soon, the man was able to hire that one person back and make a decent profit again. But each time he made more, Big G showed up to take more.

He then decided that he wanted to continue his journey up the mountain. So he sold his business for a nice profit, paid his share to Big G, and started to climb again.

Along the way, he used part of his money to survive and part to invest in other businesses to help them survive. His investments continued to pay off.

About three-fourths of the way to the top of the mountain, the man realized that he was making $500,000 a month! That equals $6 million a year! Knowing that he still had $5 million waiting on him, he began give some of his earnings to charity and started a foundation. He then remembered the promise he made himself about the jaded person at the bottom of the mountain.

The man found a few others like him who were interested in helping others out. One man owned a large helicopter so they decided to travel to the bottom of the mountain. Once there a few of them went to the money line. The jaded person was still there, a few years older, and the enthusiastic person was there as well – but he didn’t look that enthusiastic any more.

“Do you remember me?” the man asked the jaded person.

The person nodded then bowed his head and asked, “So you made it to the top?”

“Not yet,” replied the man, “But the treasure is nothing compared to what I am earning now. Wouldn’t you like to get out of this line?”

“I am stuck here,” answered the person, “Big G will never let me out.

“You CAN leave the line,” stated the man, “but you will have to give up your monthly income and healthcare.”

“I need to survive,” panicked the man. “How will I get food and other things I need?”

The man had the answer, “Get out of line and have faith in yourself. You can climb the mountain from the bottom on your own or come work for one of my shops. You will not make as much pay at first but my foundation will provide the difference for a limited time. By then you will start to earn enough.” He paused and then stated, “You told me I could do it and I did. I am telling you that you can do it…. And you will. You can either freely work for your treasure or submissively scrape by for the rest of your life.”

Some others in the line overheard the man and gathered around. “What about the rest of us?” another person asked. Another chortled, “That’s easy for you to say, you have money and don’t need to worry about surviving.”

“It wasn’t easy, but I did start out with no money,” replied the man. “Now, I can only take a few of you as we only have a certain number of seats available, but if you don’t come with us, I suggest you leave this line and start your climb to your treasure,” the man responded. “If you want to work for me, let’s go.”

About four others followed the man and jaded person. And a few more actually left the money line and went to the base of the mountain.

POOF! Big G appeared. “WHAT ARE YOU DOING? WHERE ARE YOU ALL GOING?”

“Some with me and some on their own,” replied the man. “They no longer wish to be controlled by you.”

“Controlled???” Big G shot back. “I am helping them survive. They have money, food and healthcare.”

“But no freedom to earn more doing something they like to do, no freedom to try and enjoy more exciting and exotic foods, and no freedom to control their own healthcare needs,” retorted the man. “I can help them start on that path to get those things themselves.”

Big G huffed, “But only I know what’s best for them! They don’t even know. I am giving them an equal pay, food, and healthcare and all they have to do is stay in my line and swear allegiance to me.” He then turned to the people in line and told them that these rich people didn’t really care about them and only wanted them to be poor. He told them that they would be slaves to the rich.

The man proudly stated, “I made it without you because I know what’s best for me. I was able to earn pay that well rewarded my efforts. I chose my own house, buy as much of the food I like to eat, and pay for my own healthcare where I don’t have to wait on anyone’s approval to be treated. When I started my climb, a wealthier person than I hired me to get me started. I was a slave to no one!” he turned to everyone in line, “This is a demon! Big G has no real power over anyone who doesn’t give that power to him.”

Big G knew that he couldn’t win so he walked along the line to his desk, telling those that stayed in line that if they stayed with him, he would double the monthly pay to $1000. Many people were excited about that and there were many who just resigned themselves to the line not wanting to try to make it on their own.

The man was saddened for those that stayed, but proud that others would start the climb to their success, which would even help him better his businesses and be able to help more people.

The man continued his climb and was glad that there were others climbing up behind him. When he finally reached the top, the man found the treasure waiting on him. But he was already doing so well, he donated it to charity!


I would rather be free to pursue what I wanted how I wanted that to have to keep going back to the Big Government for a trifle here and there and just barely scraping by.

It's About the Gospel, PERIOD.

Yes, Jesus was a great man who walked the earth, healed the sick, loved the poor, and set the example of how each of us needs to live out lives.

The liberal, progressive idea of Christ as one who came for social justice pretty much says just that.

However, social justice “christians” either deny or forget the truth of Who, What and Why Jesus Christ really came for.

While the bible gives plenty of examples of how Jesus gave consideration for the poor, the blind, the lame, etc., it also gives the truth of Christ Jesus in His own words:

“[B]ut he said to them, ‘I must preach the good news of the kingdom of God to the other towns as well; for I was sent for this purpose.’” - (Luke 4:43 ESV)

Jesus came not just to heal the sick and care for the poor but to preach and teach the good news (Gospel). He said this after healing the sick because He knew that people would use them for healing rather than longing for His real purpose – eternal salvation. We see that Jesus himself speaks of spreading the gospel as a MUST, emphasizing the necessity of God's providential plan being fulfilled. When Jesus is speaking of preaching the “kingdom of God,” a proper dynamic interpretation of “kingdom” actually refers to and means “reign.” Jesus was sent by God to tell the good news of salvation through repentance and faith with the understanding that all that Jesus said and did was about the reign of God in this universe.

And while the bible is full of examples of Jesus performing miracles of healing and caring, those miracles were not meant to be an example of social justice. They were so that when Jesus and His disciples spoke the good news, they would be taken seriously as representatives of the One True God.

Moreover, there are plenty of verses that show that the good news is reason people speak of Jesus – Acts 8:35; 10:36; 13:32; 14:15; Romans 10:15; 1 Thessalonians 3:6; Hebrews 4:2; 1 Peter 1:12; 1;25.

Roman occupied Israel had many social problems that needed to be addressed for sure. But Jesus made no mention or demand of the occupying government or the puppet government solving things through social justice. Jesus came to this world, and specifically to Israel, to show people God’s healing and care for the human soul.

One more point to ponder – Were Stephen, Peter, Bartholomew, James, Andrew, Thomas, Philip, Matthew, Thaddeus, and Simon martyred because they wanted social justice?

And even today, in countries where even the staunchest conservative would seriously question his or her stance of social justice and wealth redistribution, there are plenty of martyrs who willingly get tortured and murdered because of the Gospel of Jesus Christ, not because they are protesting inadequate healthcare, the wealthy, or even civil rights.



That video says two things to me – 1. In America, even though Christianity is hated and persecuted by millions, we don’t have to go through that. 2 – The violence in the video was not caused because those martyrs wanted social justice.

Forget about rich and poor. Forget about young and old. Forget about white and black. Forget about sick and well. Those things mean absolutely NOTHING when compared to the knowledge that an eternity awaits those who repent and trust in Jesus Christ as the ONLY way to God.

IT MAY NOT BE WHAT YOU THINK….

When it comes to true salvation…
You may believe but so does Satan.
You never found Jesus for He was always there.
You don’t accept Christ. He accepts you.
Asking Jesus into your heart won’t do anything.
Saying that you are saved only counts if you know from what you were saved.
Saying a prayer won’t change you but repentance and trust in Jesus will
Calling yourself a Christian isn’t the same as being a Christian.

It may not be what you think…. So, think agaiu.

HEALTHCARE - Easy Enough for Liberals To Understand

When it comes to the Health Care debate in this nation, one great quote always comes to mind:

“Nobody spends somebody else’s money as carefully as he spends his own. Nobody uses somebody else’s resources as carefully as he uses his own. So if you want efficiency and effectiveness, if you want knowledge to be properly utilized, you have to do it through the means of private property.” – Milton Friedman, economist

When shopping, one of the factors you consider when deciding where to shop is the price that stores charge for items. If a shop closer to you charges a higher price than a store farther away charges for the same item, you will probably go to the store farther away, with the consideration that the difference is worth your time and expense to shop there. If an item is of higher quality than similar ones you are considering, you might pay more for it; but if it is exactly the same item offered at different prices, you will likely want to pay the lowest price available. However, if someone else – say the government for instance – tells you just to buy the item wherever you wish and they will pay for it, you will likely go to the closest store to you and pay whatever price they have, even a higher one, since you are not spending your own money for it.

Before the mid-1960s, payment for health care was largely a private matter between the patient and the healthcare provider (doctor or hospital) - HCP. Health insurance was available, but it was not the major topic of concern that it is today. People paid their medical bills the same way they paid other bills. Those who could not afford to pay either did not go to the doctor or received some kind of charitable assistance (the doctor or hospital wrote off the expense or charged less, or the patient received help from a church or other group).

But the rules of the game drastically changed when the Federal government entered the health care field with the Medicare and Medicaid programs. For people over 65 who pay a small monthly premium, Medicare provides government payments for health care services. Medicaid is a Federally-funded program administered by the states that pays health care costs for the poor and others who cannot afford or cannot obtain traditional health insurance coverage. People covered by Medicare and Medicaid receive heath care, and the government pays for most of it. When the government began paying a large percentage of health care costs, those costs skyrocketed. Exorbitant medical charges, mismanagement, and corruption became common. Efforts to reform Medicare and Medicaid have been going or since shortly after the programs began, with little more happening than either elongated debate or worse – added bureaucracy!

In 1960, Americans paid about $28 billion for health care. By 1970, the total had almost tripled to $75 billion. Twenty years later still, the total had increased over nine times more, so that in 1990 the national health care tab was $717 billion. The rate of increase has slowed since 1990, but the figures are still astounding. In 2004, national health care costs totaled two trillion dollars. Health care now accounts for 16% of the country’s GDP. This share of the GDP is three times greater than it was in 1960. Health care costs consistently rise each year at a rate higher than the annual overall increase in the cost of living.

Prescriptions are a larger percentage of health care costs and hospitalization is a lower portion than in previous years. Providers have learned that it is cheaper to prescribe medication than it is to build and maintain a hospital, pay a staff, and incur all of the other costs of a facility. Prescription costs have also risen rapidly, and drug companies now have large advertising and marketing budgets to encourage patients and doctors to use their medicines.

Today local, state, and Federal governments pay one-half of all health care bills in the United States. Overseeing and paying for health care has become a major function of government. This fact helps to push the cost of health care higher for all Americans, including those who have private insurance and who pay their own medical expenses.

The United States does have an excellent health care system. We have good medical schools, good hospitals, great doctors and nurses, and a higher than average level of availability of drugs and medical tests. I would rather have a medical need in the U.S. than anywhere else in the world. Generally speaking, if you need medical attention in the U.S., you CAN get it.

The problem is paying for it. The costs are too high and the administration of health care involves too much bureaucracy. It is a complicated problem, and all of the parties in the system usually blame the other players for the situation.

Greed is a major component. Whether it be the insurance providers, the HCPs, the drug companies, other factions of the industry, or even health patients themselves, nobody wants to give up their money for things if they don’t have to.

Doctors play a part by wanting everything they do to be above question. This factor shouldn’t be the problem it is because most doctors are ethically bound to provide the best care to the benefit of the patient. But there are a few doctors who fight against the system which is designed to benefit both doctor and patient. Sometimes this is good, because the patient may need treatment that an insurance company doesn’t want to cover and the doctor has to fight for the benefit of the patient. Yet there are other doctors who are more concerned with fighting insurance companies while ignoring or forgetting the real need of the patient.

Insurance companies want to call the shots. As mentioned above, most insurance companies, who are trying to protect their bottom line, only let a HCP treat based on what the insurance company sees as a necessary treatment… this can sometime be to the detriment to the patient. But, in the United States, the insurance company does have outlets where a HCP can appeal to be able to fully treat a patient.

Medical malpractice insurance is terribly expensive, but doctors pay for it because they do not want to be ruined by a lawsuit, however frivolous it might be. This is one of the biggest travesties in the medical industry. Doctor’s are human and can sometimes make mistakes… but rarely there are HCPs who are negligent who need to be held accountable. However, until serious tort reform happens, doctors will have to pay malpractice insurance which will, in turn, raise the overall cost of healthcare!

Pharmaceutical companies want as much profit as possible. In the free market system we live in, this is an understandable desire to have as a business. And with the incredibly high cost of research and development of prescription drugs, high costs can’t be avoided. However, some of these companies merely develop drugs JUST to make a profit and that leaves little availability for full testing and keeps overall costs high.

Government oversight can be unreasonable and complicated. For example, when prescription coverage was added as a Medicare option, it was difficult for many users to understand. Waste and neglect were a side effect.

With all of these factors happening, consider the way that charges are calculated. When someone has a medical bill, say a test or an office visit, the charge is submitted to the payer, which is usually Medicare or an insurance company. The charge for the service is usually ridiculously high: perhaps $60.00 or $75.00 for a brief office visit, several hundred dollars for a test, or several thousand dollars for a hospital stay. The payer then uses a standard known as the “usual and customary” charge for such a service. Using that standard, Medicare or the insurance company approves a portion of the bill and pays the provider on behalf of the covered person. The provider says thank you for that partial payment and goes on to the next patient.

If a person does not have insurance, he is stuck with that inflated bill and has to either pay it, negotiate a lower price, or risk damaging his credit rating or declaring bankruptcy by not paying it (it is estimated that as many as HALF OF ALL personal bankruptcies involve at least some medical debt). One reason for the high medical charges is to cover the expense incurred by providers by those who do not pay. Doctors who receive government payments, which has come to be just about all of them, have their billing practices for all patients critiqued by the government.

All of this adds up to a system that is way too complex, way too costly, and extremely inefficient.

One thing to remember is that in most cases, when a procedure, like Lasik Eye Surgery, isn’t covered by insurance, the HCPs who offer the procedure compete to offer the lowest price. If an insurance company were involved, the cost would be much higher.

The health care delivery system needs fixing, but developing a completely government-run system of socialized medicine is not the answer. The goal of such tax-supported systems, which are used in the United Kingdom and Canada and some other countries, is to make health care equally available to all regardless of one’s ability to pay. The result, however, has been that less health care is available for everyone. Care becomes not more available but more limited and rationed. The system is inefficient, and it is not unusual for people to wait months and sometimes years for procedures that would take place within a few days in the United States. The government bureaucracy has no motivation to do a thorough or efficient job since it has no competition. Socialized medicine is driven by the bureaucracy and by the government’s desire to control health care.

A better approach is for health care to be patient-centered and driven by competition, with government’s role being to enable and encourage effective serving of health care needs. Some steps toward this goal have included the following:

• The ability of workers to carry their health insurance coverage with them when they change jobs has given people more freedom. Continuing medical coverage through an employer is one reason why many people continue to work for a company or are reluctant to retire.
• Medical savings accounts allow individuals to set aside a certain amount of their income tax-free to pay for medical costs.
• Insurance companies are currently regulated by the states, but national competitiveness would give consumers more choices that would force the companies to be even more consumer centered rather than only profit driven.

It is a humane and compassionate policy for people to be able to receive an adequate level of health care even if they cannot afford to pay for all of it. However, recipients of such care should also be expected to pay some of the cost. They need to bear the responsibility for a co-payment and for making lifestyle changes when that is needed. It is not right for taxpayers to bear all of the responsibility for the medical bills of people who do not take care of themselves. It is also a good policy to provide local clinics for those who receive subsidized care. This is more cost-efficient than simply having them go to an emergency room, which is the most expensive way to deliver health care. Ideally, Christians, among other charities, should be willing to help pay the medical expenses of those who need assistance.

But what about those programs that have already been run by states???

In 1994 the state of Tennessee initiated TennCare, a public health care system that was a trial program to replace Medicaid. TennCare uses Managed Care Organizations (MCOs, which are mostly private health insurance companies) to pay for services that patients get from doctors, hospitals, pharmacies, and other providers who participate in the program. The state government reimburses the MCOs for what they pay to providers. TennCare provides coverage for the poor and for those considered uninsurable by private insurance companies. Most TennCare recipients do not pay anything for the services they receive, although a small percentage of those covered by TennCare pay premiums and co-payments for office visits and other services. Payments for medical services under TennCare are usually LESS than what providers receive from regular insurance companies, and because of the TennCare bureaucracy, payments to providers are often SLOW in coming.

TennCare has seen the same explosion of costs that has characterized American health care as a whole. As of 2005, 1.35 million Tennessee residents were covered, out of a state population of almost 6 million. Just under one-half of those covered were children under the age of twenty-one. The program cost $8.7 billion in 2005, which means that the program paid out an average of over $6,400.00 per covered person that year. Two-thirds of the funding for TennCare came from the Federal government, while the other third was paid for by the state. The total TennCare bill included a ridiculously high amount that went for bureaucratic expenses in the state government and in the MCOs. Of the $8.7 billion, $2.9 billion went to the MCOs. $2.55 billion went for pharmaceuticals, $1.7 billion for long-term care, and $455 million for mental health services.

The program has experienced HIGH COSTS, CHARGES OF MISMANAGEMENT, and COMPLAINTS from both health care providers and patients. TennCare has had more than five different directors, and the original director who lasted just over a year in 1994-1995 returned in 2002 to head the program again. Counting acting and interim directors, TennCare had eight leadership changes between 1995 and 2002. In 2005 several thousand TennCare patients were dropped from the program in an effort to save money. All of those cut from the program were over nineteen. No coverage for children was eliminated.

So, in an attempt by a state to assume the costs for even some of its citizens, TennCare ended up dropping coverage because it is just too expensive and inefficient to work.

In April 2006, the state of Massachusetts became the first state to require all citizens to have health insurance coverage. Several different plans and levels of coverage were offered, and the state helped to pay the premiums of those who could not afford to do so themselves. The plan enabled the government to help some of the people but kept health care delivery in the private sector. And like TennCare, the bureaucracy, lack of efficiency and high cost has forced Massachusetts to drop coverage for some residents.

The American health care system has grown in piecemeal fashion, and all of the players want more of the pie. In order to continue to have the best healthcare system in the world, the U.S. government will need to minimize its involvement. To make the needed changes, everyone will have to give up something; but with proper planning and execution, individuals and organizations in the health care field will still be able to earn a comfortable living and more people will be able to get the medical care they need.

"I WIll Remember"

“I Will Remember”
Scott Ashley Kingsmore
5/31/11

You answered a call to serve,
Beginning with sweat and dust and nerve.

The trials you endured to prove,
That your resolve couldn’t be moved.

I will remember.

The uniform you donned with pride,
With others, side by side.

With shining buttons and sharply pressed,
Like you, waiting for the test.

I will remember.

On land, on sea or in air,
“First to Fight…,” “Always Ready…,” you’ll be there.

“Rolling Along…,” “Off We Go…,” “Anchors Aweigh…,”
You charge bravely into the fray.

I will remember.

All it took inside an eternity of strife,
Was a fragment of a moment to end your life.

Your courage was met with destiny,
Because of your sacrifice I remain free!

I will remember!

I pray that you know my deep appreciation,
For the price you've paid for our great nation.

I WILL REMEMBER!

A Warning From 50 Years Ago!

In 1961, an episode of Rod Serling's Twilight Zone aired that has such a ring of truth to it that I had to blog it here. Actually, my fascination with it now started one night a few years ago while discussing it on Blog Talk Radio with the Political Postachio himself, Douglas V. Gibbs. It was his revelation and fascination that has rekindled my love for this episode. We had a remarkable discussion that lasted until about 1:30am for me and they were still going when I signed off. Running the board for Doug was our good buddy, Josh Allem. Wild Phil, Andrea, and Brian were there as well. The most remarkable thing came when we actually started talking about the things of God. This led to some impromptu witnessing in which God was absolutely glorified.

The episode, "The Obsolete Man," Aired in 1961. The presentation here is from a group of actors who perform the Twilight Zone live. Part 1:




Part 2:


Part 3:


Part 4:


Read the opening narrative as it is spoken by Serling: You walk into this room at your own risk, because it leads to the future; not a future that will be, but one that might be. This is not a new world: It is simply an extension of what began in the old one. It has patterned itself after every dictator who has ever planted the ripping imprint of a boot on the pages of history since the beginning of time. It has refinements, technological advancements, and a more sophisticated approach to the destruction of human freedom. But like every one of the super states that preceded it, it has one iron rule: Logic is an enemy, and truth is a menace. This is Mr. Romney Wordsworth, in his last forty-eight hours on Earth. He's a citizen of the State, but will soon have to be eliminated, because he's built out of flesh and because he has a mind. Mr. Romney Wordsworth, who will draw his last breaths in the Twilight Zone.

Now read the closing narrative as it is spoken by Serling: The chancellor, the late chancellor, was only partly correct. He was obsolete, but so is the State, the entity he worshipped. Any state, any entity, any ideology that fails to recognize the worth, the dignity, the rights of man, that state is obsolete. A case to be filed under "M" for mankind—in the Twilight Zone.

You can also view the original episode HERE

The references to Nazi Germany and the Soviet State are all throughout. The wardrobe reckons back to the drab brownshirts of the Nazis. In fact, the Chancellor even mentions Hitler and Stalin by name as men of vision who are to be reveered. Serling new how to write and new that words...and names MEAN things. Let's look at the title of "chancellor." We can relate it to the head of state or leader. However, because of the Christian overtones, I believe this is more in reference to the Old English definition which is based on a chancellor in Roman times. >cancellarius< - "keeper of the barrier, secretary, usher of a law court," so called because he worked behind a lattice at a basilica or law court. In the Roman Empire this was a sort of court usher. This makes more sense in terms of the character in the show. After all, it wasn't a palace or office room but a court room that is the judgement placed in the episode. I believe that Serling intended this to be a reference to the courts of the Pharisees that seem to be the model for the one world government and religion prophesied in the New Tastament. And that goes along with the liberal trends of our society and activist judges.

As far as the main character, Serling really put it perfectly in the name. Romney Wordsworth says enough by his name alone. Wordsworth is a perfect name for a librarian and even better for a religious man who finds WORTH in the WORDS of the bible. The first name, Romney is a Welsh name which mean "dwells by the river." This can mean one or both of two things. The river refers to the river Jordan in which Jesus was baptized, or in Revelation 22, it refers to the River of Life.

In a nutshell, this episode really cries against fascism, authoritarianism, and the atheist state. This is harkened in Jonah Goldberg's book, "Liberal Fascism" that lays out the best relation between modern liberalism and the example of the totalitarian government of the episode. Furthermore, Wordsworth was killed for his convictions which he held to the last. This is a solid homage to the Christian martyrs who are tortured and die for their beliefs.

Just for the record, the bible verses Wordsworth read are: Psalm 23, Psalm 59, Psalm 14, and Psalm 130

I find it fitting that the condemned man willingly showed that he was NOT obsolete through his mercy in releasing the chancellor, who then became obsolete by his dependence on the mercy of the obsolete. Truly a biblical lesson.

Thanks to Doug, and the guests of his show. but most of all, praise God for His love for all of us.

Presuppositional Apologetics AKA logic does not apply to humanism.

So, atheists like to use logic when it comes to matters of faith but then CONTRADICT logic when addressing the laws of science. And I’m crazy for believing in something I can’t see???

FOUL LANGUAGE WARNING


Presuppositional Apologetics

“The Atheist (Mike) went from being angry and foul mouthed to listening intently as Chad went through the Gospel message. I can only speculate that it was the "Law of God" that stopped his mouth. - "that every mouth may be stopped and all the world may become guilty before God." (Romans 3:19).
As for the apologetics. They were superbly used by Chad. Mike may be an intelligent person, but his educational accomplishments failed to support him in this debate. Great job Chad.”

Your ObamaCare Dollars at Work!