THE CONSENT OF THE GOVERNED

Have you ever heard this, “Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed?” That is, of course, from the Declaration of Independence. What that truly means is that if the governed do not consent, the government has no power.

I thought of this powerful phrase as I witnessed veterans with bolt cutters cutting the chains and locks around monuments and parks in Washington, DC during the “Million Veteran March.” Chains and locks surrounding property owned by all of us. Chains put in place by arrogant bureaucrats who have somehow decided that they are in charge of our government. It’s clear the government doesn’t have the veterans’ consent. These bureaucrats and politicians are employees of the people and the people include, among others, the veterans whose monuments they had chosen to desecrate with their chains and locks, and I do mean desecrate.

Now I recognize that this locking up of our monuments is nothing more than a presidential temper tantrum, but I really don’t care. Obama also serves at the consent of the governed and from the looks of the polls, that consent is rapidly fading. His approval ratings are now lower than President Bush’s lowest numbers. But I digress. I don’t know about you but I have just about had a belly full of childish behavior from politicians. I feel confident that the veterans with the bolt cutters feel much  the same way. The Founders would be rolling over in their graves if they could see what we have become.

Politicians of both parties have come to the decision that allegiance to their party is more important than allegiance to their country. In addition we have all watched as the lap dog liberal media has come to the aid of those who would attempt to destroy our way of life.

Well listen up media, politicians, and bureaucrats. We, the people, are fed up. I have seen recent polls and if they prove to be true, all of the elected representatives in Washington will be looking for new jobs after the 2014 election and that includes most of the Senate. Smug politicians who have given up their citizenship to the district that elected them in favor of citizenship to Washington, DC are going to be facing serious challengers for their jobs. They may want to consider looking at what they have caused. They may want to get busy and do those jobs they have been hired to do. Get this government back in business. If the debt ceiling needs to be raised, do it. You have already spent the money, finish the job.

Here we sit with no answer to all the scandals caused by the Obama Administration. The perpetrators of Benghazi are sipping coffee in Libya, the IRS continues to function as a criminal organization, the NSA continues to spy on Americans and our borders are as porous as a sieve and the people we have hired to get the answers are in hiding. Their arrogance will be rewarded in 2014.

Now this  note to any politician who may read these words. You govern by our consent. You are hired by our votes and today your job is less secure than ever.  Carefully consider your upcoming few days. They may be the most important days of your career. The people you regard so lightly, the governed,  may soon withdraw their consent and you may be looking for a real job. Oh, and with the mess you have caused to our economy, good luck with that.

Ron Scarbro

LET'S MAKE EVERYTHING LEGAL

A few years back there was a comedian named Brother Dave Gardner. He was a rather irreverent southern fellow who famously offered this solution to our troubles, “Let’s make everything legal then we wouldn’t have no crime.”

It would appear that California has decided to take him up on his suggestion. Their Legislature has passed and their Governor has signed a bill which makes it legal for illegal immigrants to get a driver’s license, become practicing attorneys, and it also forbids employers from any retaliation against illegals who are employed by that employer just because they lied about their citizenship. There is probably much more in the legislation that is yet to be learned.

Here’s a question. What part of illegal does California not understand? All of the illegal trespassers in our country who work on legitimate jobs do so with stolen identities. None have a legal social security number and therefore do not participate legally in income tax. I have seen reports that say hundreds of thousands of these California illegals are paid “under the table” and never report their income.  Any public benefits they receive occur as a result of their stolen documentation. When illegal aliens attend public school, they are stealing services from our citizens. When they take jobs they are stealing them from legitimate citizens. When they go to our emergency rooms for treatment or childbirth they are stealing those services. When they receive welfare benefits or food stamps, they are stealing them from our citizenry. So, in addition to being here illegally, they are also thieves. Tell me Gov. Brown, how does a thief who is also a trespasser pass the bar and become a lawyer? They have no legal standing in America.

Now I understand we are talking about California here, but really, are they all just crazy? Entering our country without proper documentation is a crime, period. Entering Mexico or Canada without documentation is also a crime. Try to get free medical help in Canada without legal entry and see what happens.

The aging hippies in California have also decided that marijuana is medicine rather than a recreational drug and have created chaos with new laws that fly in the face of Federal law. You get a hangnail, you go to one of their many dispensaries to get a “Doctor’s prescription” and buy your dope. Better not smoke it in a Federal Park though because you could get busted. You see, the Federal Government hasn’t yet gotten on board with the state regarding their definition of marijuana as medicine. Still, if you drive under the influence of that medicine, you are a serious danger to yourself as well as all those around you. Maybe Californians just don’t care. Keep that in mind if you ever plan to visit that once beautiful state.

I have said before that laws are really unnecessary. Good people don’t need them and bad people ignore them. But, laws are how we the people deal with each other and keep ourselves safe. Truly if everything was legal we wouldn’t have any crime, but we would have chaos and anarchy for sure because we will always have wrongdoers.

Regarding illegal entry into our country. I understand why poor people from all over the globe would want to come here. But there is a legal way for this to happen. It is cumbersome for a reason. It is difficult for a reason. We need to know who is entering, where they are from, and what they may bring to us. To not know courts disaster. Maybe they should just go to California where soon everything will be legal.

Ron Scarbro October 9, 2013

WHAT IF?

What if they shut down the government and nobody could tell? What if they shut down the government and nobody cared? What if they discovered that “non-essential employees” were really non-essential? And, what if they discovered President Obama is one of those non-essential employees?

For the past several days we have been lectured to, harangued, warned of, and all manner of doomsday possibilities have been showered down on us. So far I haven’t noticed anything different, have you? It reminds me of the “sequester” fear mongering. What if all of this bluster is really about something else? Like, for example, 800,000 federal “non-essential” employees who are today on furlough. Doesn’t 800,000 do-nothing employees seem a little excessive to you? A reasonable question could be why do we have 800,000 non-essential employees on the federal payroll? What sort of work does a “non-essential” employee do? It’s a fair question.

Another possibility is that October 1st was the first day of Obamacare enrollment and it has been a complete disaster. Horror stories abound but they are not being reported because all the lap dog media is covering the “shutdown.” Doesn’t that seem a little too convenient? Wouldn’t you think that the impending doom of Obamacare should be worthy of an honorable mention in the media? Especially with the way it is starting out.

Concerning these federal employees, I have long believed that many, if not most, of our government employees are really paper stackers who move one stack of papers to another stack and then back again. I also believe that when they get back to their jobs, and they will, those stacks will still be there. It also occurs to me that government workers, for the most part, have jobs but they have no work. Now I don’t blame them. I blame the situation that causes government jobs. We all know that these government employees will not lose a single dime. They will get all their back pay and never lose a penny. Sure there will be inconveniences, but in the final analysis, they will be paid in full. This is just a paid vacation which seems very popular in the Obama Administration.

Of course the Republicans will get the blame for this inconvenience and so what. The national media will always blame the Republicans.

But, what if I’m right and Obamacare proves to be the disaster many have predicted. Who then will get the blame? When the smoke clears how will the Democrats explain the failure?  When all of this hits the fan, the Democrats will be scrambling just to keep their jobs let alone try to increase their numbers. We are already seeing clear examples of this impending problem. Doctors are referring patients to the emergency room because they cannot see them. Many doctors are even refusing to accept these government insured patients. Let’s face it. We are adding some thirty million new individuals who will be seeking medical care and we have not added a single new doctor, hospital, or nurse. You tell me how this could possibly work.

I worry for my children and my grandchildren. I worry for my country, but I’m an old guy. My days are truly numbered. These issues will be the problem of future generations. I worry because what if all I am saying happens? What if, indeed.

Rob Scarbro October 2, 2013

SOON THIS WILL BE A MOOT POINT

I used to think that the surest way to make a person a Republican was to have them get a wife, have some children, and take out a home mortgage.  Nothing will make one more self-reliant and personally responsible than that. When you have to face life as a taxpayer with those responsibilities, you have a tendency to pay closer attention to things. Hence, become a Republican.

Today I have made another observation. The absolute fastest way for this country to return to the sanity of Republican government is for the Republican House to let the Democrats have anything they want. I have watched as The House has passed this latest attempt to defund Obamacare by attaching it to a “continuing resolution” sort of budget. The Democrat controlled Senate or the President is not going to let that happen. This nonsense is only going to plunge this country into a financial crisis that the press and the Democrats will ultimately blame on the Republicans.

I think a much better idea would be to let Obamacare go forward. Let all the crap happen that is going to happen. When people see their costs skyrocket and their services reduced, they will know who to blame. After all, not a single Republican voted for Obamacare and every single Republican in The House voted to defund it. When it all hits the fan, only the Democrats will own it.

There are some clear realities afoot here. The vast majority of Americans are opposed to Obamacare and that majority includes unions, independents, and Democrats. Congressional candidates from borderline red states will lose dramatically as well as Democrats in blue states. People vote their pocketbooks and when they come to see the wild increase in costs, they will reject those who authored this mess. The next thing they will immediately notice is an inability to see their regular Doctor or schedule minimal procedures without waiting for months. That is if their doctor is even still in practice as many have already said they plan to take their money and run.

This scheme, Obamacare, was created in order to provide medical insurance for thirty million individuals who are otherwise not covered. Those millions include the poor, the unemployed, and illegals. There has been no increase in the number of doctors or medical facilities, only an increase in the demand for medical care. Young, healthy people who have previously rejected health insurance will now have to buy it and it will cost a fortune. I suspect most, if not all, will pass on the opportunity to be covered. That further exacerbates the problem for the government. What our representatives are going to learn and learn quickly is that it is the people who are in charge, not the  government nor the  bureaucrats. If a law is passed and the people reject it, it cannot be enforced regardless of how many new IRS auditors are hired. It can only work if the people are for it.

So, in a nutshell, this is my thought. Give the Democrats anything and everything  they want. Let them have their Obamacare. Then stand back and watch as it all goes to hell. Rather than telling you that this legislation is a mistake, just let it go into effect and watch it. It won’t take long. In fact, I suspect that after the 2014 election, this will all be a moot point anyway.

Ron Scarbro September 25, 2013

NO GUNS ALLOWED

I recently visited a VA Medical facility and was greeted by a sign at the entrance. This is what the sign said. “Welcome to the VA Medical Hospital. Crazed killers, terrorists, mass murderers, and all other assorted nut cases are safe here because we will not allow any sane, registered gun owner to carry a weapon on these premises.” Well, that’s not exactly what it said. Actually it said that no guns are allowed on the grounds of a VA facility. Now if I were a crazed killer and wanted to create havoc, I would much prefer to do my killing in a facility where I knew there would be no armed resistance.

This brings us to the events at the Navy facility in Washington, DC and at Ft. Hood. In 1993, then President Bill Clinton issued an edict that no one could have a gun in their possession while on a military base. Of all the stupidity that came out of the Clinton White House, this has to rank right up there as the stupidest. That’s like telling a police department that no police officer can have a gun on them while they are in the police station.

As a former member of the military I can assure you that we were given the best training in gun use and gun safety possible. Additionally, prior to our acceptance in the military we were checked out. Not just anybody can enter the service. Background checks were extensive and complete.

So here we are dealing with yet another result of Clinton’s ridiculous act. Obviously the shooting at Ft. Hood could have been considerably less tragic if those members of the military in the room were armed. Nidal Hassan would have been DRT. That means dead right there. Hassan knew no one would be armed. He knew he could kill at will without anyone stopping him. He was ultimately stopped though...by a gun...by someone from the outside.

This nut case in Washington entered a Naval Base armed with a gun but also armed with the knowledge that no one could stop him. Again he was ultimately stopped...by a gun...by someone from the outside. This of course after he already killed twelve innocent people who were sitting ducks.  

Isn’t it about time that we, all of us, including liberal Democrats, came to understand that guns are not evil? Guns are not scary. Guns are just tools like a hammer or a screwdriver are tools. Guns in the hands of sane, normal individuals are no more dangerous than a hammer in the hands of a carpenter. But, a hammer in the hands of a crazed killer is at least as dangerous as any gun I know of.  What about that is so difficult for the left to understand? To tell American service personnel that they are not trustworthy enough to be armed while on base is patently ridiculous. Being armed defenders of America and her way of life is their job. Such a rule is an insult to their character as well as harmful to their survival.

We absolutely must get over our inordinate fear of guns and put the blame where it belongs. It is the perpetrator not the tool. It is the nut case, not the gun. I will say this yet again. The only way to stop a gun is with a gun. Just look at both of the cases I cited above.

Let’s re-arm our military members in the same way we allow our police officers to be armed. Don’t make them sitting ducks for any freak who has a grudge.

Ron Scarbro September 18, 2013

A MISTAKE OF CATASTROPHIC PROPORTION

David Cameron, Prime Minister of Great Britain, had originally decided to support us in an air strike against Syria. His parliament pitched a fit and Cameron relented, reconsidered and withdrew his support.  

President Obama, who had previously decided to launch an air strike, appears to have listened to some of his advisors who told him he absolutely must consult with Congress before getting involved with Syria. As of this writing those debates are now going on in Congress and it is not looking very good for any Congressional support for this assault. Obama has let it be known that he may strike regardless of what the People’s Representatives say.  That, Ladies and Gentlemen, would be a mistake of catastrophic proportion.

Like Great Britain, we are not governed by either an emperor or a dictator. Like our cousins in England, we freely elect our Representatives and our Presidents. Constitutionally, President Obama cannot take this country to war without Congressional approval. In fact if Obama attacked Syria, that would be a violation of international law. He could be arrested and charged with war crimes. If Obama wants to challenge Syria, he should arm himself and take the next flight to Damascus and have at it, and he can take John Kerry with him. Let’s see if Kerry can do any better in Syria than he did in Vietnam.

No rational, sane person can be okay with the use of chemical weapons. No normal person can look the other way when children are gassed. But, it is not the job of the US to police the world. There are legitimate ways of dealing with the perpetrators of these atrocities. The civilized world must unite and make it crystal clear that such madness will not be tolerated, and to get the civilized world together we need a real leader. We do not have such a leader at this time. Obama has become the laughing stock of world opinion. His  juvenile “red line in the sand” has become an embarrassment to all of us and especially to him.

So, what to do? What should we do if Obama decides to go it alone and strike Syria without Congressional approval? Are “boots on the ground” the same as boots on the deck of a ship? If Obama fires missiles at Syria and someone takes exception and fires on our ships, do we retaliate? How high must the body count go before we realize that starting wars to save face are just a bad idea? I heard a Congresswoman say that as a Democrat she would support Obama in this strike to keep him from being embarrassed. Getting egg off the face of an inexperienced politician is not a good reason to kill thousands of people.

A reasonable question is why isn’t the free world more upset by Syria’s actions? Why hasn’t the UN gotten involved and sanctioned Syria? Is this their recognition of the fact that these Middle Eastern people have been killing each other and swapping dictators for thousands of years and gassing babies is just more  business as usual?

I hope more intelligent minds will soon show up and stronger people will step forward and demonstrate true leadership. The US is war weary. We have economic problems that will only be exacerbated by getting involved in another war in the Middle East. I hope President Obama comes to understand that his embarrassment is no reason to kill thousands of people.

History will decide who took the appropriate action in Syria. History will also record what happens to dictators who defy the will of their people whether they reside in the Middle East or in America.

Ron Scarbro  Sep 11, 2013

UPDATE… There’s good news and bad news. The good news is that stronger, more intelligent leadership has shown up. The bad news is that it’s Putin, not Obama, who has shown up with a workable answer. Personally I don’t trust any of them so I will just wait and see.

MAYBE THE MIDDLE EAST IS NOT WORTH OUR CONCERN

In the past several years we have been involved in a futile exercise. That being associating ourselves with various groups whose goal it is to swap out dictators in countries in the Middle East. When will we learn that trading one dictator for another never seems to work? Look at Egypt, Libya, Iraq, and all the backward little countries we have tried to “help.”

Today it is Syria. Here we have a murderous dictator who is gassing his own people, women and children. I am convinced these Middle Easterners are not normal people. What kind of a man could sit still and watch women and children, babies even, gasping their dying breaths? And dying because of his murderous actions. No, these are not normal people.

We watched Saddam Hussein do the same thing and we got involved. Sure, we got rid of him, but is Iraq any safer for normal people today? I think not. We chose sides in Egypt and Libya and look at those results. Do you really think those countries are safer now that the reigning dictator is gone? Of course not. Other dictators are just waiting in the wings for their shot.  

Maybe it is time for us to take another look at these places. These backwards people have been killing each other for thousands of years. Their “religion of peace” has caused more deaths than the black plague. It is becoming increasingly more difficult for me to believe we have any national interest in trying to stop their self mutilation and murder. They all seem bent on suicide.

We do have an interest in oil and we will continue to have that interest. We have allies and we will continue to have allies. We are completely competent to take care of those interests and we shall. I cannot see where we have any real interest in groups of thugs killing each other over some ancient religion. That has been going on since before we as a country existed and it will continue until they all are dead at their own hands. Now if the Baptists declared war on the Methodists and started killing each other in Arkansas, we would have an interest. If the Catholics started killing off the Lutherans in Minnesota, we would have an interest.

It is heart wrenching for any sane individual to view the carnage of a gas attack. Especially when it involves children but, the Syrian people have to deal with their own issues. I am satisfied that the so-called rebel forces at work now in Syria are al-qaeda, or at least strongly supported by that group. Will Syria be any better off when Assad is gone and al-qaeda is in power? I think not regardless of what Sen. John McCain says.

All my life I have watched as governments, media, and others with self interests have ginned up wars. I have seen us get involved in all parts of the world for first one thing and then another. Some have been legitimate for sure. Still others are more of a question.

One thing is sure. There has been nothing in the news about Benghazi, the IRS, the NSA, or any of the other scandals plaguing the White House since Syria took over the conversation. Just saying.

Today it may well be time for us to acknowledge that most of the Middle East is not worth our concern. Maybe we would be better off to just let them kill each other off. We are not the world’s police department. We need to stop financing their madness with our foreign aid and leave them to their own destiny. This current experiment with humanity doesn’t seem to be working.

Ron Scarbro September 4, 2013