October 2, 2013

Got Boots?

By Tammy Derouin

Vacations or little get-a ways can be relaxing and much needed.  They take the mind off the daily routine.  I just returned from my yearly escape at Maranatha.  A writer’s conference is not a vacation.  It is however, a get-away with little resemblance to my daily routine. 

The week ended much too quickly.  When it was time to return to the real world, I took a deep breath as I prepared myself for the unknown.  I wasn’t sure what I was going to find.  There are no televisions in their rooms.  I’m not complaining.  Television has become junk entertainment.  The term idiot box couldn’t be more accurate in today’s world. 

I knew when I got home the world was going to hit hard, and it did.  I tried to delay reality by going to the beach.  A week without news was Utopian.  The progressives are trying to create their version of Utopia so not wanting to be swallowed up, I snapped out of it and got to work. 

The impact of each story I read was much greater having been out of the loop.  Not only is America lost, there seems to be no desire to pull over and ask for directions.  

We have a pretentious president who gives pompous, nose-in-the-air speeches.  He likes to belittle and dismiss the American people.  He uses his podium to talk down to us, while using late night comedy shows to soften the blow.  He knocks us down then tries to make nice with his version of flowers and chocolates.  We fall for it every time. 

How long will we continue to allow the president and his administration to destroy us?  We willingly allow our freedoms, our very rights to be shredded before our eyes.  Are the trinkets he dangles worth our liberties? 

Our president is a habitual liar.  Eventually, lies do catch up but how much damage will be done before we have the courage to call him on his actions?  How many worthless trinkets are we going to accept?  He paints a pretty picture and baits us with promises of “free stuff.”  When did Americans become sell-outs?

The New York Times had an eye popping headline.  “N.S.A. Gathers Data on Social Connections of U.S. Citizens.”  The article, which is more like a short story, goes on to explain how the NSA is gathering your personal information by way of social media.  They are using it to identify those you associate with as well as when and where you associate with people.   Once upon a time the agency had to take into consideration the privacy rights of American citizens, but not anymore.  The NSA can expand its communication data from public and commercial sources.  Facebook profiles, bank and property tax records, voter registration rolls and GPS locations are but a few sources they can use without restrictions.  Former Obama administration officials told the Times that the NSA used it for both U.S. citizens and foreigners.  Of course, the agency refused to indicate how many Americans were involved, including those who were not engaged in any wrongdoing.

There’s another threat of government shut down.  The progressives aren’t getting what they want so they’re threatening cuts.  As usual, they are going for the necessities.  Without some gridlock, it would be the will of one party or one person. 

The Washington Examiner provided, “SEIU unionists strike over Obamacare-related cuts.”  What?  Let me get this straight, the unions that support Obama, are upset that Obamacare is causing employers to cut jobs and hours?  I really hope union members begin to look at the facts.  Over 300 more employers are cutting hours due to Obamacare.  Obamacare will hurt everyone, except those in government.  They saw a train wreck coming so they are now exempt. 

It has been reported that Al Qaeda seized U.S. weapons and supplies from a warehouse in Syria.  The report indicated this particular group is extremely dangerous.  Is there an Al Qaeda group that isn’t extremely dangerous?  I digress; they threatened to “cleanse” towns of any secular Muslims and pro-western opposition groups.  Oh, that Al Qaeda group!  I’m glad they were more specific.  Wait, didn’t Obama recently say that the U.S. should go to war in support of Al Qaeda?  There’s no reason for concern.  They just picked up supplies they were going to receive from us anyway. Now our liaisons won’t have to flip a coin to differentiate between the good Al Qaeda groups and the bad. 

Americans smile and applaud as the government continues to produce the only thing it’s capable of manufacturing.  Once again, there’s a name for it and once again I’ll let you use your imagination.  Got boots?

“The contest for ages has been to rescue liberty from the grasp of executive power.”

Daniel Webster