Bikers Launch 17000 Mile Ride to Promote Tax Reform 

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This is an email from James Carville requesting money to fund an election campaign by attacking the tea party movement. We are making a difference and Mr. Carville cannot fathom the concept of Americans who believe in honor and country.

David DeGerolamo

First there was Sarah Palin. Now we can add another Republican reptile from the past trying to help the GOP win House races this year – former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum.

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Marcia Ballard from Henderson Co. N.C. 9-12 Project submitted this overview from April 15th:

 Okay, so I did it…I sent an email to my liberal siblings…it was a short one, just a few sentences that said that Rush was going to be interviewed on the Fox Sunday morning show and that rather than take mainstream media’s word for it – why not watch and find out what he really thinks.

In response I got a diatribe from my sister…including the comment that “what am I doing, trying to convert her?” She asked if I’m obsessed with this stuff. She doesn’t have time to be negative, why can’t I be positive about life and happy that we are all healthy?

So I began to think about “MY OBSESSION”….

Hell yes, I’m obsessed – when the President, as an Illinois Senator, said in an NPR interview “the Supreme Court never ventured into the issues of redistribution of wealth…the civil rights movement became so court focused, I think there was a tendency to lose track of the political and community organizing and activities on the ground that are able to put together the coalition of powers through which you bring about redistributive change.”

Yes, I’m obsessed – when the Tides Foundation, with the goal “to provide comprehensive flexible services and tools to those dedicated to lasting progressive change” with its board members including SEIU President Andy Stern (all with strong ties to ACORN), produces a video for classrooms describing Government’s role is ‘to help everyone’ and those bad Corporations have grown BIGGER than the government – oh, no!

Yes, I’m obsessed – when the head of the FCC, Julius Genachowski, has close ties to Robert McChesney, founder of The Free Press and writer of “Our Media, Not Theirs… building the US media reform movement will provide us with a base that is strong enough to challenge corporate control and radically reshape the media landscape in the United States.”

Yes, I’m obsessed – when the President’s appointed Diversity Czar at the FCC, Mark Lloyd, said that Hugo Chavez ‘organized an incredible democratic revolution’ in Venezuela. That Chavez was successful in his revolution once he took over the majority of media outlets (forget about the owners and shareholders – its government run media now.)

 Yes, I’m obsessed – when an advisor to the President explains at a conference that the keys to revolutionary change include: 1) A Visionary Leader; 2) A Crisis of economic and/or foreign policy; 3) A Coalition of social organizations and community organizers. Then the paradigm will change. Sound familiar? How about the deliberate collapse of our economy for a start?

Yes, I’m obsessed – when they say the reason for healthcare reform is insuring the uninsured while I know it is really a massive power grab and, if they’re successful, government will control 46% of all private business in this country (when you include banks, insurance companies and car companies). There are ways to insure the 15 million uninsured American citizens without taking over all of healthcare and running up massive debt.

Yes, I’m obsessed – when I see the universal healthcare plan is a way to pay for all of the unsustainable benefits promised to SEIU and other union workers by their leadership and corporate management. I thought we were saving for our retirement – little did I know I would end up on a rationed Medicare program with a dwindling nest egg as I pay taxes to cover SEIU and auto industry contracts. Yes, I’m obsessed – when just about every ‘scientific’ theory supporting the concept of man-made global warming has been proven wrong and Congress still insists on passing Cap and Trade legislation which the President has already said will make everyone’s energy bills rise dramatically. (Do the research.)

Yes, I’m obsessed – when the first thing this President does is go on his international apology tour because he has no concept of American Exceptionalism. He doesn’t believe that this country is the last beacon of hope for people from tyranny around the world and that America has nothing to apologize for.

Yes, I’m obsessed – when the President lets the soldiers in Afghanistan twist in the wind while he decides whether or not to send more troops as the experts have requested. He has already said he doesn’t want ‘victory’ in Afghanistan because winning a war reminds him of the Japanese surrendering after WWII. (What does he think, we’re playing a game here?!)

Yes, I’m obsessed – if Bush had presided over the promotion of the coming H1N1 Crisis and then the debacle of vaccine delays hit, CNN, NBC and MSNBC would have special segments nightly (with theme music and graphics) on the death toll caused by George ‘The Swine’ Bush. Pelosi and Reid would be organizing impeachment hearings.

Yes, I’m obsessed – when my husband works for over 40 years to build a business and then career politicians who never made a product, met a payroll or lost sleep over a P&L statement, are destroying our free enterprise system.

 And that is just for starters…

My sister asked if I thought she was stupid – my answer, I know she’s not stupid, which is why I cannot understand how she can continue to sit on the sidelines. I also know my siblings grew up thinking this was the greatest country in the world and that working hard and saving money meant you would be comfortable in your old age and maybe have something to leave to your grandchildren. I know they appreciate the freedoms we have and the sacrifices our father, like so many others, made risking his life captaining a B 17 out of England during WWII – all to protect democracy both home and abroad.

What I don’t know is where we parted ways – where they started agreeing with the notion of social justice – that it is unfair if you have more than the next person, regardless if you worked all your life to save it. When did they decide that this country isn’t the best there is…that we don’t donate the most, volunteer the most and give the most to those less fortunate than any other country in the world…that our form of charity and social service that involves local communities, churches and individuals is far better than a socialist system that demands an individual’s personal property and redistributes it to others? The founders thought that the “proper role of government is to Protect Equal Rights, not Provide Equal Things.”

When did they become okay with the idea of QALY’S – Quality Adjusted Life Years that determine which medical treatments are cost-effective for an aging person? Our grandmother was advised at age 85 not to get shoulder surgery because of her age – she lived to be 101 with pain and limited mobility. What if she had been told she wouldn’t be allowed to get that surgery because the actuarial tables said she wouldn’t live long enough to make it cost effective?

My sister says she doesn’t want to be negative and she understands what she can’t control. But that is just the point! We can control the direction this country is headed and we’re doing it more and more each day. We went to Washington on 9/12, we call and fax our legislators and write letters to the editor. We educate ourselves, read the bills, remain vigilant and know that we are not alone… numbers make a difference.

I believe that many people who voted for Obama are having buyer’s remorse. (I know I did during the second term of George W. Bush.) It’s difficult to admit that you were taken by the idea of a young, smart, articulate candidate that said with conviction that he was going to do things differently. If you, like some of my siblings, have some sort of ‘white guilt’ about how this country treated blacks in the past, then you don’t allow yourself to look objectively at the negatives in a black candidate’s background or that their actions conflict with their words. You must support this candidate, now president, or someone might think you’re a racist.

I don’t believe that smart, business savvy people haven’t done the math and know that the Healthcare Bill, Cap and Trade Bill, Stimulus and Stimulus 2, etc. aren’t going to mean major increases in their taxes and dramatically affect their personal lives. Maybe my sister’s over reaction to my email is a symptom of her own fear of what is to come and what she helped create by her support and her vote.

I thank this administration and the progressives for opening my eyes …and those who have sounded the alarms. I would never have read The Five Thousand Year Leap and other books and articles about the founding of this incredible country and the Constitution. I have grown to appreciate anew the courage, commitment and intelligence of our founding fathers and the miracle that is this country. I would have never read their statement “To this Constitution we pledge our lives, our treasure and our sacred honor” (which still brings tears to my eyes) if it weren’t for this time in our history and this attack on our country.

So I resign myself to the idea that for this time we will not be close. That if they don’t join me in my commitment it will not be the end of the movement (or the world) and that if we are successful in stopping this onslaught, this attack from within, they may never understand how close we came to the abyss and will not be sending a ‘thank you’ note.

And I remind myself…that I’m too busy helping save the Republic to worry about this loss in my life…that I, too, have committed my life, my treasure and my sacred honor. An

Awakened Sister

Susan Mehiel

What:  GOOOH Asheville meetup discussion group

When:  7-9 pm, Monday, Jan 4^th

Where:  South Buncombe/Skyland Public Library

Learn about GOOOH (Get Out of Our House), a revolutionary plan to replace all 435 members of the US House of Representatives with competent candidates who have NO ties to money or party platform.  Meet other concerned citizens and discuss GOOOH and related issues.

What:  GOOOH Founder Tim Cox Comes to Asheville!

When:  7-9 pm, Sunday, Jan 17^th

Where:  AB Tech Enka Conference Room

Tim Cox, founder of GOOOH (Get Out of Our House), will explain this plan to replace all 435 members of the US House of Representatives in the 2010 election with competent candidates who have NO ties to special interests or party platform.   In the second hour we will have a mock candidate selection, an eye-opening experience. 

The AB Tech Enka conference room is just 1.5 miles from I-40 exit 44.
Thanks,

Sharon Sweede Sbrocco

I have been asked to produce and offer guidance in the form of a 912 Christmas List. We have to be careful with our money…while it still artificially retains some of its value…and convert it into useful items (durable goods, capital investments, and essential consumables) that will retain and increase in value over the short and long run. I left many things off of this list, like firearms, food insurance, and barter goods, because…well, who wants to get a 50 pound bag of rice for Christmas? And, firearms are a no-brainer for Americans…those who want them buy them…no need for advice or discussion. I went through a list of about 50 good purchases, and whitled it down to about 19 general purchase ideas. The principal limiters I put on the list for final consideration were bracketed with the ideas that the items must be useful during a crisis economy, and also bring immediate value no matter what happens…and they also have to be desirable in some way….you know…have “Christmas WOW” value:)

I also felt it important to mention the opposite as well…what things to PLEASE stay away from….even though they are quite desirable, and you may have saved all year to buy them.

Okay…here goes:

1) Rechargeable batteries (try to buy NiMH type…not Alkaline or Nickel Cadmium)
2) Solar battery charger (Make sure it is also a NiMH charger)

*Batteries are always useful…buy rechargeable and a good solar charger *

3) A good watch. A regular watch is not the idea here…it should be exceptional in some way. Regular crappy chinese watches will fail over time. Buy something nice, or don’t buy a watch. I suggest finding the right watch, and then snipe one on Ebay for half the retail price. If you can, buy American…or at least American Allied goods.

4) Silver. You must buy numismatic silver…not just bullion. One ounce “walking liberties” are good. They are limited US minted coins issued by year. They carry spot market value plus collectors value due to their mint limits. Do not buy old silver coins. Do not buy old “Silver Dollars“. Silver dollars are not pure silver, and buying old coins is a science. Buy newly minted coins, and shop around until you find an outlet that will sell at spot value ONLY…or at least marks-up at 1% or less. If you must buy bullion, buy in the “bar” quantity (pound bars). Also, you get less value for them, but buy 1/10th, 1/4, and 1/2 ounce limited series (new mint) coins as well. The reason why it is good to buy in sub-ouce quantities is for “making change” in a crisis economy. You dont want to be limited in a small transaction to have to give up a full ounce for something you could buy for less.

*You can buy gold as well, but the numbers are not as good. During the last US crisis economies, gold pushed 6x its low (spot valley) value. Silver pushed 100x! Also, gold is only useful for very large transactions…not buying bread and gas. If you have tons of silver, then I guess you can buy gold too. If you have gold already, please do yourself a favor and buy silver…alot of it if you can (a pound or more in numbered coins).*

5) Coffee roaster. Coffee is the worlds most traded commodity, and spikes in value well over the price of precious metals during a crisis. Having a small roaster allows you to process the raw beans, and gives you a stake in this valuable market. Its also fun.

6) Meat smoker. When you have no refrigeration, you can smoke all your meat to preserve it. Smart…and delicious!

7) Water filter. Basic stuff. Go to monolithic.com and buy a gravity filter element set for 21 bucks.

Knives and hand tools. Anything is good, but dont even bother buying Chinese crap. Just like the watch, buy good stuff or dont buy at all. No power tools.

9) Tactical flashlight. A good flashlight is worth almost as much as a firearm. Buy a Surefire or other top brand. Buy the LED type if you can afford it, and get lots of the CR123 batteries. These will save your life…no kidding.

10) A good rifle scope. Leupold, Redfield, Trijicon…etc. The scope makes the rifle. A crappy gun becomes an excellent gun when upgraded with a quality scope.

11) Krav Maga year-long membership. Talk to Steve Ledford at the WNC Center for Self Defense. He will give you a 912 discount.

12) Bicycle. Fun to use and useful.

13) Hand mills. Whether a meat grinder, grain mill, or ice cream churn…all useful, empowering, and improves your standard of living during hard times.

14) Old Singer foot pedal sewing machine.

15) Camping equipment. Anything is good. Be sure to buy extra tarps (very usefule and versitile) in various sizes.

16) Flat, Fresnal Lens, or magnifying glass. You can use it to watch bugs in the back yard, or start a fire. Useful for helping pull out small splinters…or doing basement surgery (har, har) when you just cant get a good look at the shrapnel sticking out of your leg. So many uses, and fun to just explore and experiment with for the kids (except for the surgery part!).

17) Magnesium block (fire starter) and P38 can opener. Two little “key chain” stocking stuffer items that you wish you had when you cant find a match or a can opener.

18) Diary and journaling materials. Good stuff. Get one with a pretty cover for the wife and it won’t feel so bad when you realize you are writting in it for the first time after all civilization has broken down! Profound value…

19) Books…anything is good.

*Okay…Im sure you guys can figure out for yourself what to buy…so…I will just then say a few words on what NOT to buy.

1) Electronic entertainment items (TV’s, video games, iPods, stereos’s). These will retain almost no value in a crisis economy.

2) Obnoxious toys. Get a soccer ball or something other than a blinking, blarring, multi-colored space alien or a useless programable robot dog.

3) Jewelry. There are exceptions, but most people don’t know how to buy jewelry for max value and quality. It takes an education. If you must, then buy vintage estate jewelry with european or American pedigree. No new jewelry. You will never get the value out of it, and you cant eat a sparkly bracelet. You will loose money on jewelry. Stay away…

4) Music CD’s. Buy an instrument instead.

5) Electric appliances. No salad shooters, microwaves (unless you really need one) or juice makers. They typically consume alot of electricity, wont run on limited solar sources, and will eat the gas out of your generator. Don’t buy these…just dumb…

6) Expensive furniture sets. Again…if you need something, go ahead. Furniture (even antiques) loses value during a crisis economy. If you have the money to buy furniture, please buy extra essentials instead…an old good running car, food insurance, solar or kinetic power generation, farming equipment, tools, good winter clothes…etc.

7) Unnecessary home improvements. The housing market will not improve any time soon. You will not get anything beyond temporary comfort value out of expensive improvements. Im not talking about buying a roof, or replacing old windows. Functionality is good….very good. Fix your broken house while the dollar still has value. DON’T buy that hot tub because you found it for 70% off, or install that Venetian marble because its all on clearance. Buying into the luxury market (even at great value) is a losing prospect…because that market is still in decline, and will have no transferable value during a crisis. Buy a safe…a good ham radio…gardening supplies and seeds…almost anything else.

Vacations. I understand the desire to get away for a bit. Spend your hard earned money in other ways. Personal sacrifice and thrift are neccessary components to the refounding of our country. Its time for America’s vacation to end…starting with us.

* Think: “what can I buy that will help make me a Producer…I will no longer settle for being merely a Consumer”*

I hope this list is useful to you. Its just a guide. Let common sense and your conscience rule over your ultimate decisions.

Yours always,
Ryan Croft