A fair question when Ronald Reagan asked it and a fair question today. We have blown a surplus and driven the nation into a recession, yet the administration states we are in a mild slowdown. How much longer are the 25 % of the American people going to cling to the belief that this administration speaks the truth? What does it take before that minority gets it? It seems to me, a conservative myself, that when so many facts lay before us that it is our duty to require that the President of this Nation accept reality. We cannot let this happen again. The Nation cannot withstand four or possibly eight years of the continuation of many of the present policies. Our greatest failure has been the refusal to accept the truth and demand accountability. Do we feed em" to the Gators?
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Are you better off today than you were 6-7 years ago?
A fair question when Ronald Reagan asked it and a fair question today. We have blown a surplus and driven the nation into a recession, yet the administration states we are in a mild slowdown. How much longer are the 25 % of the American people going to cling to the belief that this administration speaks the truth? What does it take before that minority gets it? It seems to me, a conservative myself, that when so many facts lay before us that it is our duty to require that the President of this Nation accept reality. We cannot let this happen again. The Nation cannot withstand four or possibly eight years of the continuation of many of the present policies. Our greatest failure has been the refusal to accept the truth and demand accountability. Do we feed em" to the Gators?
Friday, April 11, 2008
Worse Service comes from our local, state and federal governments
Where do we receive the worst service? Well, unfortunately from those who are obligated to be of service, our local, state and federal governments. Why? it's simple, they fail to understand that they work for us. No decent corporation in this or any other country could conduct business like our government.
There is no inclination to be of service and you're treated like your a pain in the a..!
Call a government office if you love to here the answer no, and you like having a telephone attached to you ear for three hours.
Better yet, if you want to hear we can't answer that question, or I'll transfer you to the next stupid person.
Why do we have these problems? It's because the top dogs are appointed and they rest can't get fired. The end result is a useless group of people who accomplish very little and lack any kind of people skills.
They're budget busters like the congress just waiting to get promoted. Sometimes I wonder how long the American people are going to take this abuse.
Feed em' to the Gators!!
Wednesday, April 9, 2008
Government Theft, feed em' to the gators!
If I had my way I'd feed em' to the alligators. A two hour trial and off to the Gator Pond!
The BIG question is what price will they pay. Is this not theft of the United States Treasury? Folks, pay attention to this story because it is only the tip of the iceberg. There should be a special prison for these creatures, can't think of another word I can write here to describe these people. Low down dirty skunk is way to mild. Read on and git yourself worked up.
Vote in our poll to feed em' to the Gators-left column.
OrlandoSentinel.com
Filet, lingerie, Web dates -- with your tax dollars
Hope Yen
The Associated Press
April 9, 2008
WASHINGTON
Federal employees charged millions of dollars for Internet dating, tailor-made suits, lingerie, lavish dinners and other questionable expenses to their government credit cards during a 15-month period, congressional auditors say.
One of the dinners in question took place at an Orlando-area Ruth's Chris Steak House for 81 people at a cost of $160 each for steaks and crab.
The dinner bill also included more than 200 appetizers and more than $3,000 worth of wine and brand-name liquor such as Courvoisier, Belvedere and Johnnie Walker Gold Label.
The report by the Government Accountability Office, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, examined spending controls in 2005-06 across more than a dozen departments after reports of credit-card abuse at Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs.
Gambling debt, fine suits
Some of the other expenditures cited in the report:
*An Agriculture Department employee fraudulently wrote 180 convenience checks for more than $642,000 to a live-in boyfriend during a six-year period. The money was used for gambling, car and mortgage payments, dinners and retail purchases that went unnoticed until USDA's inspector general received a tip from a whistle-blower. The employee, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement and tax-fraud charges, was sentenced last year to 21 months in prison and ordered to repay the money.
*U.S. Postal Service workers separately billed more than $14,000 to government credit cards for Internet dating services, as well as the dinner at an Orlando-area Ruth's Chris Steak House.
In the Internet dating case, a postmaster charged $1,100 during 15 months for two online services, including the Ashley Madison Agency. The expenses went unnoticed for more than a year even though he was under internal investigation for viewing pornography on a government computer. The postmaster was eventually told to repay the Internet charges but faced no disciplinary action.
*At the Pentagon, four employees purchased $77,700 in clothing and accessories at high-end clothing and sporting-goods stores. The spending included more than $45,000 at Brooks Brothers and similar stores for tailor-made suits -- $7,000 of which were purchased a week before Christmas. The credit-card holders said the items were for service members working at U.S. embassies with civilian attire.
*Justice Department and FBI employees charged $11,000 at a Ritz Carlton hotel for coffee and "light" refreshments for 50 to 70 attendees for four days -- 70 percent of the total conference cost. It was not clear what action, if any, that Justice took in light of the conference expenses, which GAO deemed excessive.
*At the State Department, one credit-card holder bought $360 worth of women's lingerie at Seduccion Boutique for use during jungle training by trainees of a drug-enforcement program in Ecuador. One State Department official later agreed that the charge was questionable.
No OKs; bad paperwork
The review of card spending found that nearly 41 percent of about $14 billion in credit-card purchases, whether legitimate or questionable, did not follow procedure -- either because they were not properly authorized or they had not been signed for by an independent third party as called for in federal rules to deter fraud.
For purchases more than $2,500, 48 percent were unauthorized or improperly received.
Out of a sample of purchases totaling $2.7 million, the government could not account for hundreds of laptops, iPods and digital cameras worth more than $1.8 million. In one case, the U.S. Army could not say what happened to computer items making up 16 server configurations, each of which cost about $100,000.
Agencies often could not provide the required paperwork to justify questionable purchases. Investigators also found that federal employees sometimes double-billed or improperly expensed charges for many months without question from supervisors; the charges often were noticed only after auditors or whistle-blowers raised questions.
Scrutiny keeps expanding
The GAO study comes amid increasing scrutiny of purchase cards, which are used by 300,000 federal employees and are directly payable by the U.S. government.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that VA employees last year racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in government credit-card bills at casino and luxury hotels, movie theaters and high-end retailers such as Sharper Image. Government auditors have been investigating these and similar charges, citing past spending abuses.
"Too many government employees have viewed purchase cards as their personal line of credit," said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security subcommittee on investigations, which requested the GAO report.
"When money that was intended to pay for critical infrastructure, education and homeland security is instead being spent on iPods, lingerie and socializing, we must immediately remedy the problem."
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the investigations subcommittee, agreed.
"Although internal controls over government credit cards have improved, we still have a long way to go to stop the fraudulent use of these cards," he said.
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
The BIG question is what price will they pay. Is this not theft of the United States Treasury? Folks, pay attention to this story because it is only the tip of the iceberg. There should be a special prison for these creatures, can't think of another word I can write here to describe these people. Low down dirty skunk is way to mild. Read on and git yourself worked up.
Vote in our poll to feed em' to the Gators-left column.
OrlandoSentinel.com
Filet, lingerie, Web dates -- with your tax dollars
Hope Yen
The Associated Press
April 9, 2008
WASHINGTON
Federal employees charged millions of dollars for Internet dating, tailor-made suits, lingerie, lavish dinners and other questionable expenses to their government credit cards during a 15-month period, congressional auditors say.
One of the dinners in question took place at an Orlando-area Ruth's Chris Steak House for 81 people at a cost of $160 each for steaks and crab.
The dinner bill also included more than 200 appetizers and more than $3,000 worth of wine and brand-name liquor such as Courvoisier, Belvedere and Johnnie Walker Gold Label.
The report by the Government Accountability Office, obtained Tuesday by The Associated Press, examined spending controls in 2005-06 across more than a dozen departments after reports of credit-card abuse at Defense, Homeland Security and Veterans Affairs.
Gambling debt, fine suits
Some of the other expenditures cited in the report:
*An Agriculture Department employee fraudulently wrote 180 convenience checks for more than $642,000 to a live-in boyfriend during a six-year period. The money was used for gambling, car and mortgage payments, dinners and retail purchases that went unnoticed until USDA's inspector general received a tip from a whistle-blower. The employee, who pleaded guilty to embezzlement and tax-fraud charges, was sentenced last year to 21 months in prison and ordered to repay the money.
*U.S. Postal Service workers separately billed more than $14,000 to government credit cards for Internet dating services, as well as the dinner at an Orlando-area Ruth's Chris Steak House.
In the Internet dating case, a postmaster charged $1,100 during 15 months for two online services, including the Ashley Madison Agency. The expenses went unnoticed for more than a year even though he was under internal investigation for viewing pornography on a government computer. The postmaster was eventually told to repay the Internet charges but faced no disciplinary action.
*At the Pentagon, four employees purchased $77,700 in clothing and accessories at high-end clothing and sporting-goods stores. The spending included more than $45,000 at Brooks Brothers and similar stores for tailor-made suits -- $7,000 of which were purchased a week before Christmas. The credit-card holders said the items were for service members working at U.S. embassies with civilian attire.
*Justice Department and FBI employees charged $11,000 at a Ritz Carlton hotel for coffee and "light" refreshments for 50 to 70 attendees for four days -- 70 percent of the total conference cost. It was not clear what action, if any, that Justice took in light of the conference expenses, which GAO deemed excessive.
*At the State Department, one credit-card holder bought $360 worth of women's lingerie at Seduccion Boutique for use during jungle training by trainees of a drug-enforcement program in Ecuador. One State Department official later agreed that the charge was questionable.
No OKs; bad paperwork
The review of card spending found that nearly 41 percent of about $14 billion in credit-card purchases, whether legitimate or questionable, did not follow procedure -- either because they were not properly authorized or they had not been signed for by an independent third party as called for in federal rules to deter fraud.
For purchases more than $2,500, 48 percent were unauthorized or improperly received.
Out of a sample of purchases totaling $2.7 million, the government could not account for hundreds of laptops, iPods and digital cameras worth more than $1.8 million. In one case, the U.S. Army could not say what happened to computer items making up 16 server configurations, each of which cost about $100,000.
Agencies often could not provide the required paperwork to justify questionable purchases. Investigators also found that federal employees sometimes double-billed or improperly expensed charges for many months without question from supervisors; the charges often were noticed only after auditors or whistle-blowers raised questions.
Scrutiny keeps expanding
The GAO study comes amid increasing scrutiny of purchase cards, which are used by 300,000 federal employees and are directly payable by the U.S. government.
The Associated Press reported Sunday that VA employees last year racked up hundreds of thousands of dollars in government credit-card bills at casino and luxury hotels, movie theaters and high-end retailers such as Sharper Image. Government auditors have been investigating these and similar charges, citing past spending abuses.
"Too many government employees have viewed purchase cards as their personal line of credit," said Sen. Norm Coleman, R-Minn., the top Republican on the Senate Homeland Security subcommittee on investigations, which requested the GAO report.
"When money that was intended to pay for critical infrastructure, education and homeland security is instead being spent on iPods, lingerie and socializing, we must immediately remedy the problem."
Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., chairman of the investigations subcommittee, agreed.
"Although internal controls over government credit cards have improved, we still have a long way to go to stop the fraudulent use of these cards," he said.
Copyright © 2008, Orlando Sentinel
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Fix the Infrastructure
Here's an Opinion that old Red Neck agrees with..
OPINION
Let's Rebuild America Together
By HAROLD FORD, JR. and JIM HALL
August 17, 2007
"The collapse of the I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis is the most recent tragic development in a series of events highlighting the decrepit status of our nation's vital infrastructure. This is a problem that concerns every single American and is one that not only affects safety but also our national security and economic prosperity. This is also an opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to come together in a time of need to address an issue of national importance
Our road and highway network becomes increasingly congested with each passing year. Congestion costs Americans more than $1 billion annually in lost wages and added gasoline costs. This rapid growth further encumbers our already overburdened road, highway and bridge capacity, thereby jeopardizing public safety as these structures are not properly maintained.
But the problems are not unique to ground transportation. Airline delays this summer have reached a record high in the 13 years since the FAA first began collecting these statistics Many of the country's largest airports including, but not limited to, Los Angeles, New York Kennedy and Washington Dulles are projected to see increases in passengers upwards of 50% by 2020. Runway, terminal, air traffic control and navigation systems are already operating at capacity.
A 2005 report card on America's infrastructure conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the nation an overall mark of a D. ASCE forecasts that $1.6 trillion over a five-year period is necessary to bring our crumbling infrastructure up to standard and to enable our system to function with the forecast expansion in the following decade.
Most of America's essential highway network dates back to the Eisenhower administration's interstate project, which required a tremendous capital investment by the federal government. This prudent expenditure contributed to the post-War economic boom. Looking abroad, other countries have surpassed the U.S. in their investments in preserving and improving their transportation systems.
Although total spending on transportation by the federal government has steadily increased over the past four decades, such expenditure as a total percentage of outlays has declined from nearly 4% in the 1960s to slightly above 2% in recent years. Federal funds have been inappropriately used, widely earmarked into flashy headline-grabbing projects while disregarding imperative but unglamorous maintenance and upkeep work. Many of these earmarks are for new projects in specific constituencies; a general overhaul of our road and rail network has long been neglected.
In today's environment of highly polarized partisan politics, Democrats and Republicans need common ground on which to agree, and the status of our nation's infrastructure provides a perfect opportunity. Creating a bipartisan America's Build Initiative similar to Gov. Ed Rendell's plan for Pennsylvania will create job opportunities for Americans, strengthen our infrastructure for the 21st century, and make this country greener and more efficient using cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technologies.
All options should be on the table and explored, including private as well as public financing. We need to put aside partisan politics and pork-barrel spending, and allocate our limited resources on need rather than congressional seniority. Lavish spending by the current administration on other priorities, and inefficient use of appropriated transportation funds, have resulted in dilapidating roads, dams, bridges, highways, pipelines and airports. Hurricane Katrina was the first warning sign of America's decaying infrastructure, and this recent tragedy only further accentuates the current crisis. How many more bridges and levees will collapse, and how many more lives will be needlessly lost, before the president and Congress realize the strategic importance of investing in sound infrastructure for America's future?"
OPINION
Let's Rebuild America Together
By HAROLD FORD, JR. and JIM HALL
August 17, 2007
"The collapse of the I-35 Bridge in Minneapolis is the most recent tragic development in a series of events highlighting the decrepit status of our nation's vital infrastructure. This is a problem that concerns every single American and is one that not only affects safety but also our national security and economic prosperity. This is also an opportunity for Republicans and Democrats to come together in a time of need to address an issue of national importance
Our road and highway network becomes increasingly congested with each passing year. Congestion costs Americans more than $1 billion annually in lost wages and added gasoline costs. This rapid growth further encumbers our already overburdened road, highway and bridge capacity, thereby jeopardizing public safety as these structures are not properly maintained.
But the problems are not unique to ground transportation. Airline delays this summer have reached a record high in the 13 years since the FAA first began collecting these statistics Many of the country's largest airports including, but not limited to, Los Angeles, New York Kennedy and Washington Dulles are projected to see increases in passengers upwards of 50% by 2020. Runway, terminal, air traffic control and navigation systems are already operating at capacity.
A 2005 report card on America's infrastructure conducted by the American Society of Civil Engineers (ASCE) gave the nation an overall mark of a D. ASCE forecasts that $1.6 trillion over a five-year period is necessary to bring our crumbling infrastructure up to standard and to enable our system to function with the forecast expansion in the following decade.
Most of America's essential highway network dates back to the Eisenhower administration's interstate project, which required a tremendous capital investment by the federal government. This prudent expenditure contributed to the post-War economic boom. Looking abroad, other countries have surpassed the U.S. in their investments in preserving and improving their transportation systems.
Although total spending on transportation by the federal government has steadily increased over the past four decades, such expenditure as a total percentage of outlays has declined from nearly 4% in the 1960s to slightly above 2% in recent years. Federal funds have been inappropriately used, widely earmarked into flashy headline-grabbing projects while disregarding imperative but unglamorous maintenance and upkeep work. Many of these earmarks are for new projects in specific constituencies; a general overhaul of our road and rail network has long been neglected.
In today's environment of highly polarized partisan politics, Democrats and Republicans need common ground on which to agree, and the status of our nation's infrastructure provides a perfect opportunity. Creating a bipartisan America's Build Initiative similar to Gov. Ed Rendell's plan for Pennsylvania will create job opportunities for Americans, strengthen our infrastructure for the 21st century, and make this country greener and more efficient using cutting-edge, environmentally friendly technologies.
All options should be on the table and explored, including private as well as public financing. We need to put aside partisan politics and pork-barrel spending, and allocate our limited resources on need rather than congressional seniority. Lavish spending by the current administration on other priorities, and inefficient use of appropriated transportation funds, have resulted in dilapidating roads, dams, bridges, highways, pipelines and airports. Hurricane Katrina was the first warning sign of America's decaying infrastructure, and this recent tragedy only further accentuates the current crisis. How many more bridges and levees will collapse, and how many more lives will be needlessly lost, before the president and Congress realize the strategic importance of investing in sound infrastructure for America's future?"
Monday, April 7, 2008
Your thoughts, please!
Each day I receive dozens of forwarded emails from people who spend their time spreading the thoughts of others, primarily God. A lot of these emails come from people who have talked to God, Jesus or an Angel. I have to wonder who the graphic designer is in Heaven and why I must read and forward the message within a certain period of time. The time restraints and instructions given to forward the email to others have caused me great pain.
Sometimes I've been away for the day and my prescribed forwarding time has passed. What do I do now? Do I delete or forward the message anyway? What are the consequences of being late?
There are often other requirements that sometimes give you a special status, like how many people you forward the message to. For instance, 5,10, 15 all have different miracles, five being much less than 15.
I wonder just what kind of email God is using and if he prefers google, yahoo, hotmail or my plain old local service? If God prefers gmail that's what I want.
Anyway, I have had some distressing days as I tried to make the deadlines on some of God's emails. Mine seem to have gone astray because I have not had any of those special moments, or miracles that were promised if I act quickly and follow all the rules.
This leads me to another question. If I forward God's email on time and to lots of people and don't get that special reward, who do I write to ?
I have decided to take a chance and have emailed my question to God at gmail, hotmail, yahoo, and a host of others. I even tried Heaven@org and .net.
I suggested that God put us all in a group and email us directly with a 30 day period to pass on messages.
Friday, April 4, 2008
Hands
An old man, probably some ninety plus years, sat feebly on the park bench. He didn't move, just sat with his head down staring at his hands. When I sat down beside him he didn't acknowledge my presence and the longer I sat I wondered if he was ok. Finally, not really wanting to disturb him but wanting to check on him at the same time, I asked him if he was ok.
He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, sir, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were ok?" I explained to him.
"Have you ever looked at your hands?", he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands."
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.
Then he smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.
They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.
They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.
They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.
They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life.
They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.
They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.
They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.
They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friends foot.
They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.
They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.
They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.
These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And He won't care about where these hands have been or what they have done. What He will care about is to whom these hands belong and how much He loves these hands. And with these hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."
No doubt I will never look at my hands the same again. I never saw the old man again after I left the park that day but I will never forget him and the words he spoke. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife I think of the man in the park. I have a feeling he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.
I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face. Thank you, Father God, for hands.
Author unknown
He raised his head and looked at me and smiled. "Yes, I'm fine, thank you for asking," he said in a clear strong voice.
"I didn't mean to disturb you, sir, but you were just sitting here staring at your hands and I wanted to make sure you were ok?" I explained to him.
"Have you ever looked at your hands?", he asked. "I mean really looked at your hands."
I slowly opened my hands and stared down at them. I turned them over, palms up and then palms down. No, I guess I had never really looked at my hands as I tried to figure out the point he was making.
Then he smiled and related this story: "Stop and think for a moment about the hands you have, how they have served you well throughout your years. These hands, though wrinkled, shriveled and weak have been the tools I have used all my life to reach out and grab and embrace life.
They braced and caught my fall when as a toddler I crashed upon the floor.
They put food in my mouth and clothes on my back. As a child my mother taught me to fold them in prayer.
They tied my shoes and pulled on my boots.
They dried the tears of my children and caressed the love of my life.
They held my rifle and wiped my tears when I went off to war.
They have been dirty, scraped and raw, swollen and bent.
They were uneasy and clumsy when I tried to hold my newborn son. Decorated with my wedding band they showed the world that I was married and loved someone special.
They wrote the letters home and trembled and shook when I buried my parents and spouse and walked my daughter down the aisle. Yet, they were strong and sure when I dug my buddy out of a foxhole and lifted a plow off of my best friends foot.
They have held children, consoled neighbors, and shook in fists of anger when I didn't understand.
They have covered my face, combed my hair, and washed and cleansed the rest of my body.
They have been sticky and wet, bent and broken, dried and raw. And to this day when not much of anything else of me works real well, these hands hold me up, lay me down, and again continue to fold in prayer.
These hands are the mark of where I've been and the ruggedness of my life. But more importantly it will be these hands that God will reach out and take when he leads me home. And He won't care about where these hands have been or what they have done. What He will care about is to whom these hands belong and how much He loves these hands. And with these hands He will lift me to His side and there I will use these hands to touch the face of Christ."
No doubt I will never look at my hands the same again. I never saw the old man again after I left the park that day but I will never forget him and the words he spoke. When my hands are hurt or sore or when I stroke the face of my children and wife I think of the man in the park. I have a feeling he has been stroked and caressed and held by the hands of God.
I, too, want to touch the face of God and feel his hands upon my face. Thank you, Father God, for hands.
Author unknown
Wednesday, April 2, 2008
Bernanke, more nervous than a chicken in a pen with 35 Pit Bulls.
Federal Reserve Chairman Bernanke was more nervous than a chicken in pen with 35 pit bulls as he answered questions regarding the present moves made by the Fed and the state of the economy. In my redneck opinion he was very concerned. His answers were mostly should and possibly could.
The problem is most Americans don't understand what can happen to THEM if our banking system takes more hits. My advice is to refrain from taking on more debt except in real estate, if you have investment capital.
That is contrary to what others advise, but if there is a real estate bargain there are renters now and it's likely even more in the coming year.
When to buy is the question. Once investment begins in real estate you could be too late. So, watch for the lows and the beginning of an upturn, then find a bargain and buy it!
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
What does the Constitution say about God?
Ask most Americans what the Constitution says about God, and their answers may surprise you.
"One nation under God?"
Nope, that's the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Oh, yeah, right, right. How about, 'Endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights'?"
Sorry, but that's the Declaration of Independence.
"Hmmmm."
Mostly what you'll get is a lot of blank stares. Trust me. I've tried it in nearly 50 states. Fully 55% of the country, according to a recent survey by the First Amendment Center, believes that the U.S. Constitution establishes us as a "Christian nation." Worse still, while nearly all Americans say freedom of religion is important, only 56% think it should apply to all religious groups. The truth is that the Constitution says nothing about God. Not one word. And, you can bet that some of the local clergy back in the 1780s howled about it. Newspapers, pamphlets and sermons decried the drafters' failure to acknowledge God.
One, and only one, reference
Even more interesting is what the Constitution has to say about religion. Although many of the nation's loudest religionists continue to assert that America is a Christian nation in some legal or constitutional sense, the language of the original Constitution itself suggests otherwise. The only reference to religion is tucked away in Article VI and reads: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a Christian nation to me. If you wished to create a Christian nation, wouldn't you at least need to ensure that its leaders were Christian? The No Religious Test Clause stands out because most colonies did have religious qualifications for public office. Many required a belief in the Christian doctrine of the Trinity with some, like the Carolinas, going so far as to require that all elected officials be Protestant.
So, why would the framers of our Constitution do such a thing, and moreover, why two years later would they adopt a constitutional amendment declaring that the new federal government could "make no law respecting an establishment of religion?" Was it because they were militant atheists? Hardly. James Madison, the primary architect of our Constitution, studied under the tutelage of Presbyterian-preacher-turned-Princeton-president John Witherspoon and even considered a career in the ministry before opting for politics.
More likely, the framers were concerned about the corrupting influence the institutions of church and state have on each other when either becomes too cozy These guys knew their history. They had witnessed the blood shed by governments in the name of religion. Europe was nearly destroyed by it. They also knew their politics. The Baptists, Presbyterians and other Evangelicals were fed up with religion that was "established" by the state (as was the Anglican Church in many Southern colonies and the Congregational Church in New England) and were determined to achieve full-throttle religious freedom for all — believers and non-believers alike. It was prominent Virginia Baptist John Leland who declared, "The notion of a Christian commonwealth should be exploded forever!" Pastor Leland went on to assert that "the fondness of magistrates to foster Christianity has done it more harm than all the persecutions ever did" Leland and his Baptist colleagues played a key role in helping persuade Madison to support a federal Bill of Rights guaranteeing liberty of conscience for all.
What 'separation' really means
America has institutionalized this great theological concept through the political mechanism of the First Amendment. The "no establishment" clause separates the institutions of church and state by prohibiting any government action that has the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion. Government is to remain neutral. No citizen should be advantaged or disadvantaged because of his religious faith.
The separation of church and state does not mean the separation of God and government or of religion and politics. The First Amendment limits only the power of government — not the power of the people or of the church. Religious organizations are free to speak out on the issues of the day. They can preach, pray, proselytize, promote and, yes, even endorse candidates if they are foolish enough to do so. (They will, however, have to forfeit their tax exemption if they use church funds, since we don't allow a tax deduction for monies given to partisan causes — just charitable ones.) Again, it is government — not religious organizations — that is restricted by our Constitution.
America's so-called Godless Constitution, with its provisions separating church and state, has given us the strongest political and religious institutions on earth. Among developed nations, no one else believes and worships as much as we Americans. One can only marvel when today's pious pulpiteers clamor for federal dollars for their "faith-based initiatives" or complain that God has been kicked out of the public schools. Perhaps they were praying in school when they should have been studying their history.
Oliver "Buzz" Thomas is a minister, lawyer and author of 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can't Because He Needs the Job).
"One nation under God?"
Nope, that's the Pledge of Allegiance.
"Oh, yeah, right, right. How about, 'Endowed by our Creator with certain unalienable rights'?"
Sorry, but that's the Declaration of Independence.
"Hmmmm."
Mostly what you'll get is a lot of blank stares. Trust me. I've tried it in nearly 50 states. Fully 55% of the country, according to a recent survey by the First Amendment Center, believes that the U.S. Constitution establishes us as a "Christian nation." Worse still, while nearly all Americans say freedom of religion is important, only 56% think it should apply to all religious groups. The truth is that the Constitution says nothing about God. Not one word. And, you can bet that some of the local clergy back in the 1780s howled about it. Newspapers, pamphlets and sermons decried the drafters' failure to acknowledge God.
One, and only one, reference
Even more interesting is what the Constitution has to say about religion. Although many of the nation's loudest religionists continue to assert that America is a Christian nation in some legal or constitutional sense, the language of the original Constitution itself suggests otherwise. The only reference to religion is tucked away in Article VI and reads: "No religious test shall ever be required as a qualification to any office or public trust under the United States."
I don't know about you, but that doesn't sound like a Christian nation to me. If you wished to create a Christian nation, wouldn't you at least need to ensure that its leaders were Christian? The No Religious Test Clause stands out because most colonies did have religious qualifications for public office. Many required a belief in the Christian doctrine of the Trinity with some, like the Carolinas, going so far as to require that all elected officials be Protestant.
So, why would the framers of our Constitution do such a thing, and moreover, why two years later would they adopt a constitutional amendment declaring that the new federal government could "make no law respecting an establishment of religion?" Was it because they were militant atheists? Hardly. James Madison, the primary architect of our Constitution, studied under the tutelage of Presbyterian-preacher-turned-Princeton-president John Witherspoon and even considered a career in the ministry before opting for politics.
More likely, the framers were concerned about the corrupting influence the institutions of church and state have on each other when either becomes too cozy These guys knew their history. They had witnessed the blood shed by governments in the name of religion. Europe was nearly destroyed by it. They also knew their politics. The Baptists, Presbyterians and other Evangelicals were fed up with religion that was "established" by the state (as was the Anglican Church in many Southern colonies and the Congregational Church in New England) and were determined to achieve full-throttle religious freedom for all — believers and non-believers alike. It was prominent Virginia Baptist John Leland who declared, "The notion of a Christian commonwealth should be exploded forever!" Pastor Leland went on to assert that "the fondness of magistrates to foster Christianity has done it more harm than all the persecutions ever did" Leland and his Baptist colleagues played a key role in helping persuade Madison to support a federal Bill of Rights guaranteeing liberty of conscience for all.
What 'separation' really means
America has institutionalized this great theological concept through the political mechanism of the First Amendment. The "no establishment" clause separates the institutions of church and state by prohibiting any government action that has the primary effect of advancing or inhibiting religion. Government is to remain neutral. No citizen should be advantaged or disadvantaged because of his religious faith.
The separation of church and state does not mean the separation of God and government or of religion and politics. The First Amendment limits only the power of government — not the power of the people or of the church. Religious organizations are free to speak out on the issues of the day. They can preach, pray, proselytize, promote and, yes, even endorse candidates if they are foolish enough to do so. (They will, however, have to forfeit their tax exemption if they use church funds, since we don't allow a tax deduction for monies given to partisan causes — just charitable ones.) Again, it is government — not religious organizations — that is restricted by our Constitution.
America's so-called Godless Constitution, with its provisions separating church and state, has given us the strongest political and religious institutions on earth. Among developed nations, no one else believes and worships as much as we Americans. One can only marvel when today's pious pulpiteers clamor for federal dollars for their "faith-based initiatives" or complain that God has been kicked out of the public schools. Perhaps they were praying in school when they should have been studying their history.
Oliver "Buzz" Thomas is a minister, lawyer and author of 10 Things Your Minister Wants to Tell You (But Can't Because He Needs the Job).
The Legend of Gelert
In 13th. century Wales a prince named Llywelyn who went hunting without his favorite hound, Gelert.When he returned he found the dog covered with blood and the cradle of his son turned over. He assumed the dog had killed his son. He drew his sword and killed his dog. At that moment he heard his son cry out, he turned the cradle over and saw that his son was not injured and the body of a dead wolf lay near the by. Gelert had saved the boy's life. Filled with regret he vowed that Gelert shall never be forgotten and a granite stone stands to this day said to mark the grave of Gelert.
Interesting facts about Ireland and the Crusades
For those of you who might have missed the History Channel's program on "Under Dublin" you really missed a very informative program.
For instance the color of the Irish Flag means Green-Catholic, Orange-Protestant, White-Peace.
The name Dublin is a Viking name for Dark Pool. Discovered a Knight Templar's remains seven feet tall. Slave came from the name Slavic because of the huge number of enslaved Slavic people. At one time 10% of the people of Europe were enslaved. Hillbilly is of Irish origin and not American.
Structures in Ireland are older than the Pyramids.
For instance the color of the Irish Flag means Green-Catholic, Orange-Protestant, White-Peace.
The name Dublin is a Viking name for Dark Pool. Discovered a Knight Templar's remains seven feet tall. Slave came from the name Slavic because of the huge number of enslaved Slavic people. At one time 10% of the people of Europe were enslaved. Hillbilly is of Irish origin and not American.
Structures in Ireland are older than the Pyramids.
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