Say What??

I have a friend on facebook who calls himself conservative. He posts articles and comments about big government spending, hates the cronyism, is against bailouts and that kind of thing.

But...

His daughter's boyfriend explains that the people who are supporting them (?) apparently 'take' their foodstamps... and then my friend responds...

• they take our foodstamps for them and expect a months worth of foodstamps to last 4 ppl and a [redacted expletive] black hole a month

  23 hours ago · 
• 
  

   they're taking all the foodstamps and money? I am glad you'll be out of there soon! You don't deserve to be treated like a cash machine...

I wish I had that record-scratching sound effect to use here.

It's wrong to charge rent and groceries to a young (19-20ish) couple, in good health and stamina (who live in your home), but it's ok for that same couple to 'charge' taxpayers for foodstamps??? I expect this from OWS idiots; they're clueless. But this guy and I are often (supposedly) on the same page when it comes to government stupidity. Funny how the same problems we see in "the government" can be practiced by ourselves on a smaller scale.

We ALL have areas like this, I think. Yes, we're against handouts and bailouts... but are we really? When your state is offered 'grant money' for beginning some new educational program, do they take it? Do your conservative friends and neighbors think about how that will be a great opportunity for their kids, or do they think that taking it would be inconsistent with their conservative values? Usually it's the former.

I think about this sometimes when I see an article on some farm that got a nice little grant from the NRCS, or the USDA, or your other four-letter, government-funded acronym. Imagine what I could do with just a fraction of that... The back fence... A hay-feeding shed... A thermostatically-controlled chicken scalder... and a decent motor for the plucker... Oh the ideas!

But am I going to be part of the problem, or part of the solution?

If I don't stand up, how can I expect anyone else to?

• 
  

Motivation?

[emphases all mine]

When you read this:

“Official projections say the world’s population will peak at 9.3 billion [up from 6.6 billion today] but with charitable initiatives, such as better reproductive healthcare, we think we can cap that at 8.3 billion,” ~Bill Gates


"The world today has 6.8 billion people. That's heading up to about nine billion. Now if we do a really great job on new vaccines, health care, reproductive health services, we could lower that by perhaps 10 or 15 percent!" ~Bill Gates

And this, from Malawi Voice:

"About 131 children [from Malawi] who fled into neighboring Mozambique during the anti measles vaccine a few months ago were vaccinated this week at gunpoint."

And this, from Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation:

‘So the country [Malawi], one of the commitments that they’ve made is to build out this cadre of front line workers they call them in their country health surveillance assistants. So every month these 11,000 health surveillance assistants spend 3 weeks out in the villages, talking with the villagers providing basic vaccinations … They make sure the vaccinations happen, not only at the village level but all the way back through the system.’ ~ Melinda Gates on Maternal, Newborn, and Child Health in Malawi


You really have to wonder if it's all "for the good of the poor" or just some diabolical effort to promote their population ideals. (Bill Gates does explain his concerns with overpopulation are served by his global vax efforts. That better health + vaccines = fewer children born, since you don't "need" to have 10 children to get 2 to adulthood. I find this somewhat faulty, because if the diseases are so bad that many don't live to adulthood, why bother attempting to change that via vaccination or anything else?)

Just a thought: WHO the heck do they think they are? Do they really think they should try to control the population of the ENTIRE world?!? Just because they're billionaires, suddenly the rest of us should listen to them (and be subject to their preferences, at gunpoint?) in regards to subjects like this...? If they'd like to lecture about business-building, or some other relevant issue (in regards to their success) I'm all ears. But about medicine? Reproduction? I daresay it's none of their business.

Abortion History Myths

Like me, I'm sure you've heard all the horror stories of back-alley coat-hanger abortions.  Apparently those are more scare-tactics than fact.

For instance:

3. Criminal abortions were not, by and large, the deplorable and filthy quacks so popularly presented in abortion advocacy lore. As Planned Parenthood's Mary Calderone pointed out in 1960, "Call them what you will, abortionists or anything else, they are still physicians, trained as such; and many of them are in good standing in their communities. They must do a pretty good job if the death rate is as low as it is." And just one year earlier, in 1959, Planned Parenthood's Alan Guttmacher said, "They have to be good to stay in business, since otherwise they would be extremely vulnerable to police action."

More here.

I'm SO In.

Did you hear that the IRS is now offering a tax deduction for nursing mothers?  That is, that breast pumps and 'other breastfeeding supplies' will now be deductible?

Seriously?

What kind of "other breastfeeding supplies" do you suppose they're talking about?

Because I have some really effective supplies.  A pair of them, actually. They've put in years of service, and continue to do so. [Is this a retroactive deduction, do you think?]

I have some questions though. How would I figure my deduction?  Maybe it's like the 'home office deduction,' where you add up all the property taxes, heating, cooling, electricity, maintenance, etc that your home requires, then proportionally allot part of it as the 'office' expense based on square footage. Should I track the costs of running my body? Food, medicine, clothing and the like? But how would I determine the proportion of my 'equipment?' By weight? Volume? Surface area??? And is it to be measured at the start of lactation, or year's end? Maybe the 1040 instructions will just come with a chart: Find your height, cup size, and ta-da, the percent is done for you.

I've heard about the IRS hiring some 20,000 new agents. I think now I know why. All us nursing Mamas will need someone to double-check our figures. Where do you think they'll be getting the training for such audits? The TSA? I'd heard a lot of talk on the Right about Obama giving yet higher pay to federal union employees, but I had no idea these were the kind of 'benefits' being offered.

Salmonella?

That looks to be among the LEAST of the problems with this system.



I didn't understand what I was seeing in some of that footage, but there are dead/dying hens with prolapsed uteri, eggs resting on corpses, manure-covered hens, and worse.

I've sometimes rethought the passionate words I typed in a former post, exhorting us all to trust God for provision that doesn't violate His creation.  There are moments that just seems so elitist, so arrogant.  And then I'm reminded of things like this, and I'm convinced all over again.

Perhaps not surprisingly, this stirs up my politics too.  Not in the way of some, "why is this legal?  The government needs to do something about this!" but more, "see what happens when we trust some bureaucracy?  When we give regulating power over to some Department, when we allow the FDA or EPA or USDA to say what "organic" means - and then trust it?" [just to clarify, the above video was NOT of organic production, but if you trust a product just because it sports the organic logo, you're trusting someone else to control your food] Please, know where your food comes from.  Educate yourself.  If you're not sure, take a notepad with you to the store, and jot down brands/products you could know more about.  Do you know which "organic" milk brands are from cows raised on cement, in the dark, with organic grain as feed?  Which ones feed at least a portion of hay and use pasture when possible?  Which brands of cheese use milk from rBST-treated cows?  Better yet, buy what you can locally, put 100% of the price of your food into the producer's hands.  Isn't this a lot of work?  Maybe.  But do one thing at a time.  Eggs, this month.  Learn, choose, buy.  Do it consciously, not like one more Black Friday lemming who is swayed by every wind of advertisement.  Next month, milk, or yogurt, or some other staple of your home.  You can't change the big company featured in the video, but you can certainly change where your own grocery budget goes, who and what your dollars support.

Is it worth it?  You bet!  You will (probably) get far better food when you're judging its source for yourself.  There is something very satisfying about looking someone in the eye who caretakes your eggs, or beef, or carrots, or whatever.  You don't need to worry "where it came from" when you feed it to your children, whether their fried egg was first with a corpse, then workers-of-questionable-hygeine, then chemicals, then..?  If you are concerned about the well-being of the land, you can determine whether you're a help or hindrance to that, with your purchases.  You will more likely be eating fresher food and avoiding genetically-modified frankenfood.

You can do it!  Don't trust Big Brother with your food!  That responsibility is yours! :)


More on egg production/processing here.

Farmageddon Documentary

Farmageddon Trailer 1410 from Kristin Canty on Vimeo.

I got this from Mercola.  It looks like a worthwhile documentary, when it releases.  It profiles some of the scary tactics used against small, traditional farmers in the name of "public health and safety."

You may remember the Manna Storehouse raid, where a SWAT team spent 8 hours of on-the-clock time holding a homeschooling Mama and her eight (yes, even the baby who needed a diaper change) children at gunpoint (just an aside here..  What kind of person carries out that order?  Land of the free, anyone?  Good grief.).  They're profiled, among others.

The trailer shows a few woman farmers lamenting that organics doesn't have as much as an advocacy within the government.  Seriously?  Does she know what she's saying?  "We just need more lobbyists."  On the contrary, I believe regulations should be seriously lifted from the small, local producer, or perhaps from farms that sell direct to consumer.  Isn't that risky?  Of course.  So is drinking aspartame, and the government gives that its seal of approval.  Personally, I trust my own eyes and ears more than layers of government paperwork when it comes to deciding what to eat.

So no, don't wish for more lobbyists - haven't you figured out that giving the government authority over any aspect of your business/product backfires?  Organics decided to get "government approval" for that very word "organic," and now there are all sorts of loopholes and the Big Guys (can't blame them, this is the game they play with Big Brother) can use the same label, with far different conditions behind it than the movement first intended.  DON'T turn over your product, or labeling to the government if you have any choice in the matter.  And DO work to get the bureaucracy off the backs of the people you'd like to buy from.  YOU be their advocate; We The People did a little of that in the recent election.  Keep it up, and free up your food!

Further Comparison

The Blaze has a side-by-side photo of the 8/28 rally and the 10.2.10 rally.  Not only is it humorous, how the propagandists and mainstream media (but I repeat myself) like to downplay the attendance at 8/28 (who were not even rounded up and given free bus rides to the site), but it's truly amazing when you consider how few 10.2 people managed to leave such a mess.  Did they round up full garbage trucks too, and dump them off with the attendees?

Also from The Blaze, a photo that says a lot (scroll down a little ways).  Yes, the stars and stripes heaped among debris that at least encircles a trash can.  And a brief video showing a beautiful fountain memorial of WWII decorated with discarded signs and empty water bottles.

A commenter there asked, 'whose future do you want to be a part of?'  Touché.

To Compare...

Here is the Lincoln Memorial/Washington Mall after Glenn Beck's 8/28 Restoring Honor Rally.  What do you notice?



Here is the same place after the 10.2.10 One Nation Rally which supported liberal/socialist policies. Does it seem different?



This one, in winter, is of the same place after the last presidential inauguration.



As one commenter put it, "The underlying message couldn't be any clearer. When everyone takes personal responsibility for themselves and those around them, you are left with paradise. But when everyone leaves everything up to the "government" to take care of, you are left with one big mess!"

Fresh

UPDATED to add: Per the comments, FRESH is NOT associated with Food, Inc.

I was able to attend a local screening of the movie FRESH last night.  It's got my hero, Joel Salatin, as well as Michael Pollan and a few others.  I don't know that it's by the Food, Inc people, but it's almost like the next step from there.  Food, Inc. is what is wrong; FRESH is how to get to a better place.

Even better?

FRESH is being screening next week in Washington DC, with Joel Salatin (and some lady.  the producer/director or whatever.  Not important. ;)) there to introduce the movie and answer questions.  Let's just say he wasn't at OUR showing...  The 'better' part is that the US Senators and Representatives have been invited.

I really want them to see it, don't you?

So I wrote to each of mine:

I am writing to ask that you attend the screening of the movie, FRESH. I was recently able to view it, and I understand it's coming to you, too! I'd be much encouraged if you would take the time to see it as well. It really speaks to the heart of a fundamental human issue.

WHEN: Friday May 21, 2010, 4:30-6:30
WHERE: Rayburn House Office Building Foyer

The director and one of the farmers featured in the film will be on hand to introduce the movie and take questions. We didn't have that here in my little town. :)

Again, [Whomever], I ask that you make this a priority. For the good of us all.

Thank you,

Also, to your senators, they are looking at S 510, the "Food Safety and Modernization Act." Consider asking them to support the Tester Amendment , that would exempt small producers (like your farmer's marketers) from the burdensome regulations and requirements. Keep fresh, safe food available.

More info here.


Consider doing the same or similar with your representatives/senators. You can do so from here.

Further Book Thoughts

On that book, Joel Salatin's Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal.


I mentioned that both the political left and right are oppressive to Joel Salatin and others like him.  I just love this book.  Every chapter had me shaking my head, determined to be more conscious in my food-acquisition efforts.  He blasts both sides:  The big businesses who lobby for special status in a sea of burdensome regulations - or support those very regulations, knowing they're the only ones who have the ability and resources to jump through such hoops (this is applies to far more than food production, by the way), and the do-gooder environmentalist that thinks government is the answer to all the earth's ills, and in his ignorance makes things worse.  Joel gives an example of the poor agricultural practices that were polluting the Chesapeake Bay... Dairy farmers were applying their slurry to their fields on a daily basis - rain, shine, winter, summer... unless the grass was growing and thriving (spring, summer, no rain), the stuff wasn't metabolized, and would run into the Bay.  Legislation and regulation and government money provided for a great new innovation (so the environmentalists claimed), to make manure lagoons to hold the slurry.  Joel managed to eventually get an interview with one of the higher-ups in this department, and showed him how they managed to hold onto their valuable manure until the pasture was ready to receive it - and without $50,000 worth of cement and steel.  The guy admired Joel's system before explaining that there was no research money available to study something that was already working (huh?) and no grant money for the same thing.  THEN he admitted that things were actually worse for the Bay... that the lagoons allowed farmer's to hold the slurry for up to six months before dealing with it.  Which they DID - and usually only ended up taking care of the big mess during their down-time - winter.  The WORST time to do it.  Before, at least, they applied it hit-and-miss.. Some days were good.  Now none of it was being applied at the right time.  Why not repeal the whole thing?  Impossible.

"The environmentalists won a huge victory with this program.  How do you think they would look if they had to admit they'd caused more harm than good?  And do you really think I can take on the entire scientific community at Virginia Tech?  I'd be laughed out of town.  And the politicians that passed the legislation - do you t\really think they will admit they made a mistake?  They would look like fools to their constituents.  Once a program starts, no matter whether it's working or not, the inertia to keep it going is stronger than anything else."

WOW.

As much as anything else, Joel writes to compel people to question everything.  If it has a government approval stamp, if the research was paid for with government money (or by someone who has an interest in the results), if a politician has an opinion on it - believe it at you own peril.

Joel challenges the "right" tendency to think bigger and faster = better, and the "left" tendency to assume that if someone is selling something, they're trying to rip you off.

He challenges the idea of "food safety" on both sides.  It shouldn't be what the fat-cats say it is, the ones willing to wine and dine the politicians who make the regulations, and it shouldn't be what the 'government = savior' camp claims, either.  Forget the paperwork, he pleads.  Forget the pages and pages of how to do this, the temperature for that, the screens and windows and drains and inspections.  Go to the end-game:  Test the darn thing.  If it tests clean, it's clean!  Who cares if it was processed in someone's kitchen, or even dunked in the toilet, if it's CLEAN.  But that's too simple.  It's apparently not "safe" even if it tests clean... Safe only equals 'jumping through all the government-decreed hoops.'  If it actually kills someone (E. coli recalls, anyone?), there was just a breakdown somewhere, that shouldn't have happened.  Ya think?  But - produce a clean product without those hoops?  Well, that can't be safe.

Both sides are corrupt, and you can't trust a thing they say.  Even if they're promoting something with good intentions, they're wrong.  Foolish.  Destructive.

He advocates for an "opt out" program (isn't that my dream world!?!).  Sign a paper absolving both the government and any producers from liability, and retake the freedom to decide what you eat on your own terms.  Take responsibility for your choices and gain the freedom to do so!

I love this guy.


More tomorrow.

What A Book

I've been reading a book (okay, several of them, but I want to discuss one in particular) lately, and it's really one of those I wish everyone would read.  The perspective isn't one that many of us have, yet we should really all be aware of it.

It's by Joel Salatin, Everything I Want to Do Is Illegal; War Stories From the Local Food Front.

Blogger's photo upload isn't working, else I'd post a picture of the book.  It's worth a look; a tank emblazoned with "USDA" has run a farmer and his wares off the road, and he stands with hands up before the chickens, pigs, and cows.

After reading of his experiences, I'd say that isn't too far off.

This is not like his 'how to' farming books, more a testament to how the system (both left and right!) oppresses 'the little guy,' the real innovators, and hinders both opportunity and progress.  Collusion with big business favors no one but big business (and their politicians) and his is a call to end this.  Everyone should read this book, whether you are into farming, food, politics, or just the American Way of life.

Many are the stories like this:  Joel would like to sell a pound of hamburger to his next-door neighbor.  But, REGULATIONS REQUIRE that such a pound of beef come from a beef slaughtered and processed at a USDA-inspected facility - father away, more expensive, staffed with dozens of illegal aliens...  So let's say he does that, and is ready to sell this (now more expensive, possibly commingled with lesser-quality animals) hamburger to the neighbor.  Wait!  You can't bring that back to the farm!  It's now a value-added product, and a farm is not a retail site, you know?  Where's your dual-lane road from the highway?  Proper signage and commercial access?  Handicapped parking?  Restrooms?  Inspected buildings?  Business license?  The list goes on and on, until the small start-up farmer, who would sell superior, local food to his neighborhood would have to put $500,000 worth of infrastructure in before selling the first T-bone steak.  No wonder the big guys, with their centralized production and processing have all the advantages.

Joel is libertarian in his philosophy here.  And I must say, after reading, I lean that way a little more now myself.  What business is it of the government's if I want to buy beef from my neighbor?  Am I not a big enough girl to choose that for myself?  Lest you think "no one really cares," read about the heavy-handed bureaucrats who have (time and time again) harassed Joel and his family about "compliance" with everything from their own milled lumber (to build their own house), chicken processing, eggs, zoning... it's unbelievable.

Joel touches on the above, calls for changes, addresses the illegal immigration issue, labor laws, housing, organic certification, taxes, bioterrorism, mad cow/bird flu, NAIS, endangered species, and more.

Read it.  Request it from your library.  Buy it and let your neighbor borrow it.

The fact that Joel, and others like him, have had the success they've had in the face of such tyranny is a testament to the product they offer, and to the character of the farmer, persevering in spite of it all.

I come away from this, somewhat surprisingly, feeling like, "I want to do that!"  I was puzzled by this, considering I was reading about ALL the roadblocks to such a thing, until I realized it was more a reaction of wanting to "opt out" of The Government's Food System.  Be done with it!  And I'm ever grateful for my little Black Marketeer who is still under-the-radar enough that I brought home a bag of "Not For Sale" labeled hamburger the other day. :)

Can you imagine?  It's not poisonous (it's fine if she were to give it to me free, or host a barbecue and feed my children with it), in fact it was processed by the same guy we hire when we buy a whole beef.  But it's illegal.  Unbelievable.

Still Funny. Still Scary.

I ran across this a month or so ago.  Watch it and weep.



Not that a disclaimer excuses much, but I think I read that this man has severe Hepatitis and often can't follow a coherent conversation.  The question is, WHY hasn't he resigned?!??  WHO thinks he should be able to vote on what to order for dinner, LET ALONE national legislation!!!!!

Only in America.  *sigh*

Happy 32nd to my Hubby today!

Food, Inc.

Have you seen it?  It's a documentary on food production, and it's viewable free online through April 29 at pbs.  If you have a Netflix subscription you can watch it online there too.

I've heard it talked about and a friend advertised it's PBS broadcast on Facebook last week, and then a cousin mentioned he caught it and was wondering if I'd seen it.  I hadn't, but I arranged to.

It is a good intro to factory-food and it touches on many sides of the Eating Dilemma.

What I like:

Aside from a few clips that we've all seen (the downer-cow being prodded with a forklift to "qualify" to become part of our food supply), there was nothing crazily-over-the-top about the treatment of the animals or their environment.  Some might call that a criticism, but I think the regular run-of-the-mill nastiness is enough to make the point without distracting.

Joel Salatin is in it, and his methods/writing were the first reasonable exposure I had to the differences in organic vs. conventional food production.  I love his attitude towards his farm, his business, his animals, the industry, people...  It doesn't hurt that he's a Christian, and, I think, homeschooled his (now grown) children.  He makes a great point that cheap isn't necessarily good.  "Who wants to buy the cheapest car?"  In fact, "cheap" often means "very expensive" when you factor in the environmental costs, the medical/healthcare costs of an abused body, societal costs, and more. Many (most?) of the big crops are SUBSIDIZED.  Because we're paying for those via our taxes, the price tag at the grocery store can be smaller.  That doesn't make his $3/dozen eggs necessarily expensive (except that we still have to pay the IRS, even if we buy his produce).

As I said above, it touches on many facets of industrial food production, including the marketing/labeling, labor/illegal immigration, genetic modification, animal treatment, environment, nutrition, law/politics, farmer-supplier relationships, and more.

What I didn't like:

The politics.  One guy (the founder of Stoneyfield Farm yogurt, I think) actually says (in a "too bad" sort of way), "We're not going to get rid of capitalism.  Certainly we're not going to get rid of it in the time that we need to arrest global warming and reverse the toxification of our air, our food, and our water.... And if we attempt to make the perfect the enemy of the good and to say, 'we're only gonna buy food from the most perfect system within a hundred miles of us' we're never gonna get there."  He adds that "business" is the source of all the pollution, all the things that are "destroying this world."

While I'm sure he regrets using the global warming excuse now, I couldn't believe that he was so "anti" capitalist, considering the comment right before that, was, "organic had been growing over 20% annually.  It's one of the fastest-growing segments of the food industry."  Oh, and right after the anti-capitalism?  "Today, in 2008, we're not only the #3 yogurt brand in America, but we're among the most profitable."  Huh?  I thought he was against capitalism?  Or does he just blame it for all the environmental evils, and decided to play the game for the environment's sake.  So much for moral absolutes.

In one scene, on a nice, lush farm, a van pulls in and two super-smiling young men emerge, among others, and the lady of the farm asks, "help me figure out.. who are?  and ...where? are you from?" and they, still smiling too much, say, "We work for Wal-Mart."  She, "Oh.. okay..  Do you know that we don't go to Wal-Mart?  That we've never been?  Amazing, isn't it?"  They continue to smile, and the older man says, "and so we come to you."  She might've left it there, considering that it seems they are potential patrons of her farm products, but she says, "we just sort of started boycotting it years ago, and just kept riding in that boat..."

I don't like the "big = evil" assumption, although clearly some of the big ones (Monsanto, for one) could hardly be described otherwise.  I don't like the implication that desiring profit means that you have no morals whatsoever.  Of course businesses have to look at the bottom line.  What is with these types, do they think all our hard work should never amount to anything?  I don't see them begrudging Joel Salatin his $3/dozen.

They also follow one family in the grocery store, as they weigh pears and consider the price of broccoli, and are "forced" to consider the boxed, processed stuff as more affordable.  With some exceptions, you can eat very well, yet very frugally without succumbing to that idea.  Beans, rice, flour, butter, pasta, veggies and fruits in season...  Meat in small amounts, this is doable for most, if they take the time and learn to cook it.  A top of broccoli might not be much by way of a main dish, but cut up and added to a meal for flavor and nutrition, even in small amounts, is certainly a better choice than creamed corn.  Especially when you consider the price of the diabetes medication you'll need in a few years.

I am undecided yet on some issues.  The documentary portrays the stark difference between the "old" ways and the "new," contrasting the bushels per acre, the size of chickens and the speed of their growth, etc.  I'm not sure where they're going with this.  If my brother criticizes me for anything, it's that I'm always "against technology" in some fashion or another.  But seriously?  What should be done instead?  Should we go back to 10% of yield?  The benefits seem outweighed by the cost.  The cost being that a LOT of people won't be eating from that field.  And will they be eating at all?  Consider how many hours per day people once spent just to feed themselves and their families.  I'm willing to hear the debate about whether or not that is reasonable, but I'm not ready off the bat to advocate it.

Have you seen the film?  Did you learn anything you didn't know?  Did you like it?  Do you agree with my assessments?

Oh. My. Gosh.

I WISH this was as unbelievable as it seems.



Thanks, DHM.

Oops I Did It Again

I hated it last time I did it.  And it didn't get any better the second time around.  Could I set up Facebook to alert me, since I can't seem to remember it on my own?

What miserable thing did I do again?

Well, it all started innocently enough (doesn't it always?)...

Hubby got paid on Wednesday, and I planned, as usual these days, to head into town for groceries and errands in the evening, when it's quiet and mellow and I can park close to the door.  However, he got home later than usual, and Baby had spent three nights wailing for a 2-hour block, and I was really tired.  I decided to delay the whole thing for a day, and set out Thursday night instead.

Big Mistake.  Thursday was April first.  The first day of the month.  And, let me tell you, the sheer quantity of shoppers the night of the first is enough to keep me away.  It's akin to the Saturday Shopping, which I avoid with all my might.  Now, brace yourself, because I'm about to reveal my Evil, Conservative Hatemonger side...  The quality of people packing the stores is notable as well.  Please don't misunderstand; I'm not trying to say they're of less value in the sight of God, or in an eternal sense, or even necessarily in ability or opportunity.    What kind of quality am I talking about, then?  I wish I could say.  I guess it's the quality of hopelessness, or of laziness, or at the very least, a resignation (sometimes satisfied) to let someone else carry their weight.  Maybe because they know no better, or think life somehow owes them for perceived injustice.  Put a group like that together, and it's noticeable.  And, I'm not even saying that all of them were of this notable quality.  But a lot of these were shopping last night.

Mixed in to all this is the knowledge that there but for the grace of God go I.  I can imagine, if things got really bad for us, that we might seek out food stamps (or 'benefits cards' as they are nowadays).  But I dearly hope it would be a last resort, after I'd quit smoking and sold my name-brand purse and shoes [in case you're new here, I don't smoke or have name-brand purses or shoes].  And THEN, I'd buy dry beans from the bulk food section, butter and cottage cheese on sale.  Oh wait.  I DID buy dry beans from the bulk food section, and butter and cottage cheese on sale!  Yeah, that was my cart.  As opposed to the two trendy gals in front of me who had a couple-dozen jars of baby food, an equal number of giant Arizona Tea cans, and untold goodies like frozen Drumstick ice cream things, Nutrigrain bars, canned- and boxed-everything.  I was saddened by the way they were teaching a young baby to eat (not the baby food, but the example they set), and indignant that I was financing it.  And then shame entered in, realizing that while I might not be asking my neighbors to feed my family, I was still doing it to an extent, considering our effective tax rate is less than zero, after this year's tax refund.  Forced insurance, but of course.  We've been doing forced Welfare in this country for some time now.  And then more indignation, on behalf of my husband's boss, and the owner of the small company that built his business from scratch, then bought and merged another business into it.  What did he do to deserve punishment?  Punish him too much, and we and others like us will suffer.  Bless him, and we are blessed.

Alllll the time I spend waiting in line and watching this sad circus gets me thinking and refining my policies.  Which, of course, I can do very little about, but it makes me feel better.  I wrote before how I think there should be some limitations to what food stamps cover, and of course I'm all for drug-testing any (every?) one on the taxpayer's dole.  I'm also not terribly familiar with the qualification standards; I assume there is an income limit, perhaps limits on assets.  How about set some lifestyle limits?  Sure, we'll buy you some groceries.  Do you have cable tv?  Satellite?  Okay, that reduces your monthly "benefit" by $40 (or whatever).  How about high-speed internet?  A Netflix subscription?  How about subscriptions to hobby/interest magazines?  Do you have a cell phone AND a land line?  How much do you pay per month for unlimited texting?  Do you own any ATVs, snowmobiles, motorcycles, boats, campers?

These are the things I'd ask myself and do away with BEFORE asking my neighbor for her money.  Otherwise I'm basically asking her to finance these luxuries.  And how wrong is that?

Too, take away these things from a family, and they might find some time to read (imagine that).  Or, better yet, find a creative way to make some money to carry them up.  Their minds might be opened to the bigger picture, that asking, expecting, the community to feed them (or provide transportation, replace their windows with something more energy-efficient, watch their children, etc) is a weakness of character.  And more importantly, that such a weakness can be strengthened, in many cases!  They may run across something that suggests there is more to life than taking what you can before you die.  And wouldn't that change the world?

I know it'd change my poorly-scheduled evening grocery shopping.

Because I Need It

From a pastor friend... Timely words, that I really need to embrace right now...

Psalm 131:1-3  A Song of Ascents. Of David.

O LORD, my heart is not lifted up; my eyes are not raised too high;

I do not occupy myself with things too great and too marvelous for me.

But I have calmed and quieted my soul,

like a weaned child with its mother; like a weaned child is my soul within me.

O Israel, hope in the LORD from this time forth and forevermore.

God has been teaching many that the reposturing and quieting of our heart is essential to being able to receive more of what the Lord has for us.   In the midst of chaos God is teaching us how to quiet and compose our heart so that in that place of peace we might receive His word clearly and directly from Him. 

Over the last several days I have been relearning this lesson again and again.  It seems some event comes into our lives that causes us trouble and we have a decision to make at that point.  We can either panic or we can compose our soul and see what the Lord has to say. 

At some point last week [my wife] and I were facing what we thought was a major issue and we started scrambling for answers but there just was no where to turn.  I prayed, “Lord what do we do?”  It was like he shrugged his shoulders and said “Eh, it isn’t that bad.”  Then he gave us some suggestions for facing the crisis.  We did what He said, and in a couple of days an amazing deliverance manifested in our lives.  That was a huge breakthrough on two fronts.  The first breakthrough happened internally when we stopped panicking  and actually came to a place of faith and peace.  Then the deliverance manifested outwardly and it was almost anti-climatic.    

People of God, there are a number of huge crises looming before us.  This weekend the U.S. Congress is poised to pass a Health Care Bill that is unprecedented not only in its far reaching impact on this nation’s march toward socialism but also in its demoralizing influence and undermining of all faith in our system of government.  There is an enormous amount of shouting going on.  People are screaming for the train to stop.  But no one is listening. 

Perhaps it is time for the Church to stop screaming and start listening.  In the midst of enormous fear and panic, the Spirit of God is brooding.  The enemy may be busy, but God is always miles ahead of Him.  The enemy cannot ambush God.  He always sees him coming.  On the contrary, God is preparing to ambush the enemy.  Something much bigger is taking place at this hour than what is going on in Congress and the White House.  There is a divine strategy being unfolded in the Heavenlies.  Let us pray that we do not miss it. 

Quiet and compose your heart.  “He who has an ear, let him hear what the Spirit is saying to the churches.”  

Grace and Peace,

***

emphasis mine

Quiet, Soul.  Quiet, Heart.  I need to listen...

No Title

If you're at all informed, you know that this weekend is especially important for the future of our children and the liberties we've thus far enjoyed.

If you're not informed, shame on you.  You shouldn't get to vote.  The good news is that you can GET informed.

Unless you're in DC right now doing your darnedest to be represented (good luck with that) you've probably done all you can to be heard.  

Prayer and even fasting can be done locally. :)  God knows...

Nerves

It's continued to be interesting around here. Gi-gi remains, and so far I've done very well not to turn off the mellow university DJ playing classical music all day, OR (and I should get even more credit for this) her "they always give both sides" NPR. Not only do I not usually turn it off, I don't turn on Rush Limbaugh extra loudly like other members of this family. And it is not my fault if Gi-gi hollers to said member that she'd "rather eat dirt!" than listen to him. But at least Hubby was inspired to OFFER to take our eldest for a trip to the store after hearing her ask Gi-gi why she doesn't like the man on the radio. Well, his offer was after Gi-gi replied, "Because he's a liar and a bigot!" I think that's the "both sides" available on NPR...

I don't know if the Radio Station Battle has anything to do with it, but Gi-gi is actually not doing so well. She nicked her forearm the other day - her top layer of skin tears easily and this happens frequently - she washed it with soap and water and put a band-aid on it, but it didn't get better. It got infected, and there is a patch at least 4 inches in length of red, swollen skin around the area. We've treated it with antibiotic ointment, and at the recommendation of my midwife, a poultice of plantain, but she's still not doing well. She's felt crummy, run-down, and has even had diarrhea, all since yesterday afternoon when it really came upon her. This is VERY unusual for Gi-gi. She had the Korean flu in 1950-something, and another bout of sickness in 2004ish, but she just doesn't do this. She's opposed to taking antibiotics or seeing doctors unless absolutely necessary, but in my mind we're pushing that line here. Lord knows if she falls unconscious, and I call an ambulance and she's hospitalized, that she'll never forgive me. She'll haunt me all my days, she's promised. :)

Also, my midwife recommended a hearing screening test for Baby. This is usually done at the hospital, but... So I called the little state hotline, who gave me a number for another outfit, who put me in touch with the speech/hearing pathologist. I couldn't remember whether I was dealing with the Health Department or the Department of Health and Welfare. As a backwoodsy, red-state, homeschooling-freak-of-nature that I am, you can be sure the latter would make me a bit nervous. I decided that it must've been the health department, because this wasn't about food stamps or medicaid or anything like that. In any case, the lady called me back yesterday and made an appointment for the test here at my home today at 2. My breath caught a little in my throat when I saw her nametag sporting the "State Department of Health and Welfare." I decided to be charming and engaging, and to say as little as possible about anything at all.

Which is when Gi-gi walked through and made reference to the sleeping toddler upstairs. Then, blind to both her nametag and my angst at having one of Them within My Home, went on to comment about how busy that 2-year-old is, and how she (Gi-gi) recommends we put her in a playpen with a net over it. Yes, she said this to that lady! And that I refused her recommendation because someone would 'turn me in and I'd be arrested' if I did that. And, it would be wrong! And hurtful! And wrong! I wanted to point out. *sigh* I'm sure the lady was red-flagging our file.

She did the screening test on Baby, who passed. Big Sister was close by, and wanted to hear the "echo" she had described when explaining how the test worked. The lady obliged, and did the test for Big Sister... Who, were she newborn or 2 years old, as most of their 'clients' are, would be referred to an audiologist. *sigh* She tells me (this is only a screening, by the way, not an official test) Big Sister isn't hearing all the tones in her left ear. I was hoping to visit a chiropractor soon, to straighten me out after having this baby, but after the doctor visit, the lab test, and the newborn doc visit, I was going to have to put that off. Now an Ear, Nose, Throat doc? We won't discuss how long it's been since the dentist referred us to an orthodontist...

She asked if we had insurance, and I said no. She said she didn't know what the pricetag was for such a visit, as most of their referrals are on Medicaid anyway. Of course; if someone else is paying, why care what it costs??? Argh.

THEN she asked Big Sister's age, and if she'd had this screening yet in school.

*gulp*

"I'm homeschooled," she declared. "All my schoolbooks are in there," she gestured toward the dining room.

I think she upgraded our file from red-flag to... I'm not sure what. A flashing beacon?

And why hasn't HSLDA sent me my new membership cards??

"Oh..." the lady said. "Yeah, they usually test for that much earlier..."

Little Artist made an appearance shortly thereafter and the lady asked her age as well. I was not liking this, though not because of anything suspicious on the lady's part. It's all me and my "don't tread on me" paradigm. I liked being under the radar, darnit! And here, in the space of a few minutes, The State now knows a). who we are, b). where we are c). that we homeschool (without benefit of hearing screenings!) and d). that we don't have babies where they do hearing screenings (i.e. the hospital) e). that we have four daughters, and their ages, and f). that my grandma advocates unapproved (disapproved!) "child restraint systems!" Ack!

Am I not supposed to still "be resting?" I don't rest well when there is an under-the-weather liberal hanging around who may or may not be up to leaving at the appointed time, and I CERTAINLY don't rest well when an Agent of The State is under my roof finding out my business.

We're off to find Gi-gi some Immodium and Colloidal Silver.

And the next newborn hearing screening is taking place on the porch.

Healthcare According to Obama

Anyone else noticed that I haven't really posted much politics lately? Usually I just can't help but vent here, but lately, there's just TOO MUCH.

EVERYTHING the politicians touch turns to dust. Worse, to cyanide-laced swine-flu. (Can you do that?) I'm worried that if I start, my head will just explode, and that will be bad.

HR 3200. <-- Actual text. A big, 1017-page pdf.

HSLDA's brief summary.

Mat Staver, of the Freedom Foundation and Liberty Counsel's page-by-page summary follows. Tell me Hitler wouldn't have been rubbing his hands in glee, if he'd had this law and our current technology? What an easier job he would've had...

I like how the National ID Card is in here, along with immediate electronic access to any and all of our bank accounts. That'll be so handy.

I ALSO like the subtitle, if you call it that. Right on the front page, Emphasis mine: "To provide affordable, quality health care for all Americans and reduce the growth in health care spending, and for other purposes."

"Other purposes?" *Cue maniacal laughing* Other, unnamed purposes...?

Pg 22 of the HC Bill MANDATES the Govt will audit the books of ALL EMPLOYERS that self insure!!

Pg 30 Sec 123 of HC bill - THERE WILL BE A GOVT COMMITTEE that decides what treatments/benefits you get

Pg 29 lines 4-16 in the HC bill - YOUR HEALTHCARE IS RATIONED!!!

Pg 42 of HC Bill - The Health Choices Commissioner will choose your benefits for you. You have no choice!

Pg 50 Section 152 in HC bill - HC will be provided to ALL non US citizens, illegal or otherwise

Pg 58HC Bill – Gov’t will have real-time access to individual’s finances & a National ID Health care card will be issued!

Pg 59 HC Bill lines 21-24 Govt will have direct access to your banks accts for electronic funds transfer.

Pg 65 Sec 164 is a payoff subsidized plan for retirees and their families in Unions & community orgs (ACORN).

Pg 72 Lines 8-14 Govt is creating an HC Exchange to bring priv HC plans under Govt control.

Pg 84 Sec 203 HC bill - Govt mandates ALL benefit packages for private Health Care plans in the Exchange

Pg 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs for of Benefit Levels for Plans = The Govt will ration your Healthcare!

Pg 91 Lines 4-7 HC Bill - Govt mandates linguistic appropriate services.

Example - Translation for illegal aliens.

Pg 95 HC Bill Lines 8-18 The Govt will use groups i.e., ACORN & Americorps to sign up individuals for Govt HC plan

Pg 85 Line 7 HC Bill - Specs of Ben Levels 4 Plans. #AARP members - Your Health Care WILL be rationed

Pg 102 Lines 12-18 HC Bill - Medicaid Eligible Individual will be automat.enrolled in Medicaid. No choice.

Pg 124 lines 24-25 HC No company can sue Govt on price fixing. No “judicial review” against Govt Monopoly.

Pg 127 Lines 1-16 HC Bill - Doctors/ #AMA - The Govt will tell YOU what you can make.

Pg 145 Line 15-17 An Employer MUST auto enroll employees into public opt plan. NO CHOICE

Pg 126 Lines 22-25 Employers MUST pay for HC for part time employees AND their families.

Pg 149 Lines 16-24 ANY Employer w/ payroll 400k & above who does not prov. pub opt. pays 8% tax on all payroll

Pg 150 Lines 9-13 Biz w payroll btw 251k & 400k who doesnt provide public opt pays 2-6% tax on all payroll Pg 167 Lines 18-23 ANY individual who doesnt have acceptable HC according to Govt will be taxed 2.5% of income.

Pg 170 Lines 1-3 Any NONRESIDENT Alien is exempt from individual taxes. (Americans will pay).

Pg 195 Officers & employees of HC Admin (GOVT) will have access to ALL Americans financial and personal records.

Pg 203 Line 14-15 HC - “The tax imposed under this section shall not be treated as tax” Yes, it says that. Pg 239 Line 14-24 HC Bill Govt will reduce physician services for Medicaid. Seniors, low income, poor affected.

Pg 241 Line 6-8 HC Bill - Doctors, it does not matter what specialty you have, you’ll all be paid the same.

Pg 253 Line 10-18 Govt sets value of Dr’s time, prof judg, etc. Literally value of humans.

Pg 265 Sec 1131Govt mandates & controls productivity for private HC industries.

Pg 268 Sec 1141 Fed Govt regulates rental & purchase of power driven wheelchairs.

Pg 272 SEC. 1145. Treatment of certain cancer hospitals – Cancer patients - welcome to rationing!

Page 280 Sec 1151 The Govt will penalize hospitals for what Govt deems preventable readmissions. (Incentives for hospital to not treat and release.)

Pg 298 Lines 9-11 Drs, treat a patient during initial admission that results in a readmission-Govt will penalize you.

Pg 317 L 13-20 PROHIBITION on ownership/investment. Govt tells Drs. what/how much they can own.

Pg 317-318 lines 21-25,1-3 PROHIBITION on expansion- Govt is mandating hospitals cannot expand.

pg 321 2-13 Hospitals have opportunity to apply for exception BUT community input required. Can you say ACORN?!!

Pg335 L 16-25 Pg 336-339 - Govt mandates established of outcome based measures. HC the way they want. Rationing.

Pg 341 Lines 3-9 Govt has authority to disqualify Medicare Advantage Plans (Part B), HMOs, etc. Forcing people into Govt plan.

Pg 354 Sec 1177 - Govt will RESTRICT enrollment of Special needs people!

Pg 379 Sec 1191 Govt creates more bureaucracy - Telehealth Advisory Committee. HC by phone/Internet?

Pg 425 Lines 4-12 Govt mandates Advance [Death] Care Planning Consult. Think Senior Citizens end of life.

Pg 425 Lines 17-19 Govt will instruct & consult regarding living wills, durable powers of atty. Mandatory!

Pg 425 Lines 22-25, 426 Lines 1-3 Gov’t provides approved list of end of life resources, guiding you in death.

Pg 427 Lines 15-24 Govt mandates program for orders for end of life. The Gov’t has a say in how your life ends.

Pg 429 Lines 1-9 An “adv. care planning consult” will be used frequently as patients health deteriorates.

Pg 429 Lines 10-12 “adv. care consultation” may incl an ORDER for end of life plans. AN ORDER from GOV

Pg 429 Lines 13-25 - The govt will specify which Doctors can write an end of life order.

PG 430 Lines 11-15 The Govt will decide what level of treatment you will have at end of life

Pg 469 - Community Based Home Medical Services=Non profit orgs. Hello, ACORN Medical Svcs here!!?

Pg 472 Lines 14-17 PAYMENT TO COMMUNITY-BASED ORG. 1 monthly payment to a community-based org. Like ACORN?

Pg 489 Sec 1308 The Govt will cover Marriage & Family therapy. They will insert Government into your marriage. Pg 494-498 Govt will cover Mental Health Svcs including defining, creating, rationing those svcs

PG 502 Sec 1181 Center for Comparative Effectiveness Research Established. – Hello Big Brother – Literally.

Pg 503 Lines 13-19 Gov’t will build registries and data networks from YOUR electronic med records.

Pg 503 lines 21-25 Gov’t may secure data directly from any depart or agency of the US including your data.

Pg 504 Lines 6-10 The “Center” will collect data both published & unpublished (that means public & your private info)

PG 506 Lines 19-21 The Center will recommend policies that would allow for public access of data.

PG 518 Lines 21-25 The Commission will have input from HC consumer reps – Can you say unions & ACORN?

PG 524 18-22 Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund set up. More taxes for ALL.

PG 621 Lines 20-25 Gov’t will define what Quality means in HC. Since when does Gov’t know about quality?

Pg 622 Lines 2-9 To pay for the Quality Standards, Govt will transfer $$ from to other Govt Trust Funds. More Taxes.

PG 624 “Quality” measures shall be designed to assess outcomes & functional status of patients.

PG 624 “Quality” measures shall be designed to profile you including race, age, gender, place of residence, etc

Pg 628 Sec 1443 Gov’t will give “Multi-Stake Holders” Pre-Rule Making input into Selection of “Quality” Measures.

Pg 630 9-24/631 1-9 Those Multi-stake holder groups incl. Unions & groups like ACORN deciding HC quality.

Pg 632 Lines 14-25 The Gov’t may implement any “Quality measure” of HC Services as they see fit.

PG 633 14-25/ 634 1-9 The Secretary may issue non-endorsed “Quality Measures” for Physician Services & Dialysis Services.

Pg 635 to 653 Physicians Payments Sunshine Provision – Gov’t wants to shine sunlight on Docs but not Govt.

Pg 654-659 Public Reporting on Health Care-Associated Infections – Looks okay.

PG 660-671 Doctors in Residency – Gov’t will tell you where your residency will be, thus where you’ll live.

Pg 676-686 Gov’t will regulate hospitals in EVERY aspect of residency programs, incl. teaching hospitals.

Pg 686-700 Increased Funding to Fight Waste, Fraud, and Abuse. You mean like the Gov’t with an $18 million website?

PGs 701-704 Sec 1619 If your part of HC plan isn’t in Gov’t HC Exchange but you qualify for Fed aid, no payment.

PG 705-709 SEC. 1128 If Secr gets complaints (ACORN) on HC provider or supplier, Gov’t can do background check.

PG 711 Lines 8-14 The Secretary has broad powers to deny HC providers/ suppliers admittance into HC Exchange. Your doctor could be thrown out of business.

Pg 719-720 Sec 1637 ANY Doctor who orders durable med equip or home med services MUST be enrolled in Medicare.

PG 722 Sec 1639 Gov’t MANDATES Doctors must have face to face with patient to certify patient for Home Health Svcs.

PG 724 23-25 PG 725 1-5 The same Gov’t certifications will apply to Medicaid & CHIP (your kids)

PG 724 Lines 16-22 Gov’t reserves rt to apply face to face certification for patient to ANY other HC service.

Pg 735 lines 16-25 For law enforce. proposes the Secretary-HHS will give Atty General access to ALL data.

PG 740-757 Gov’t sets guidelines for subsidizing the uninsured (Thats your tax dollars people)

Pg 757-762 Fed gov’t will shift burden of payments to Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) to States. (Taxes)

Pg 763 1-8 No DS/EA hospitals will be paid unless they provide services without regard to national origin

Pg 765 Sec 1711 Gov’t will require Preventative Services including vaccines. (Choice?)

Pg 768 Sec 1713 Gov’t – Nurse Home Visitation Svcs (Hello union paybacks)

Pg 769 11-14 Nurse Home Visit Svcs include-economic self-sufficiency, employ adv, school-readiness.

Pg 769 3-5 Nurse Home Visit Services - “increasing birth intervals between pregnancies.” Govt ABORTIONS anyone

Pg 770 SEC 1714 Fed Gov’t mandates eligibility for State Family Planning Services. Abortion & State Sovereign.

Pg 789-797 Gov’t will set, mandate drug prices, controlling which drugs brought to market. Bye innovation.

Pgs 797-800 SEC. 1744 PAYMENTS for graduate medical education. The government will now control Drs’ education.

PG 801 Sec 1751 The Govt will decide which Health care conditions will be paid. Say RATION!

Pg 810 SEC. 1759. Billing Agents, clearinghouses, etc req. to register. Gov’t takes over private payment sys.

Pg 820-824 Sec 1801 Govt will identify individ. ineligible for subsidies. Will access all personal financial information.

Pg 824-829 SEC. 1802. Govt Sets up Comparative Effectiveness Research Trust Fund. Another tax black hole.

PG 829-833 Gov’t will impose a fee on ALL private health ins. plans incl. self insured to pay for Trust Fund!

PG 835 11-13 fees imposed by Gov’t for Trust Fund shall be treated as if they were taxes.

Pg 838-840 Gov’t will design & implement Home Visitation Program for families with young kids & families expect kids.

PG 844-845 This Home Visitation Prog. includes Gov’t coming into your house & telling you how to parent!!!

Pg 859 Gov’t will establish a Public Health Fund at a cost of $88,800,000,000. Yes that’s Billion.

Pg 865 The Gov’t will MANDATE the establishment of a National Health Service Corps.

PG 865 to 876 The NHS Corps is a program where Drs. perform mandatory HC for 2yrs for part loan repayment.

PG 876-892 The govt takes over the education of our Med students and Drs.

PG 898 The Govt will establish a Public Health Workforce Corps to ensure supply of public health prof.

PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of civilian employees of the U.S. as Secretary deems.

PG 898 The Public health workforce corps shall consist of officers of Regular & Reserve Corps of Service.

PG 900 The Public Health Workforce Corps includes veterinarians.

PG 901 The Public Health Workforce Corps WILL include commissioned Regular & Reserve Officers. HC Draft?

PG 910 The Govt will develop, build & run Public Health Training Centers.

PG 913-914 Govt starts a HC affirmative action program thru guise of diversity scholarships.

PG 915 SEC. 2251. Govt MANDDATES Cultural & linguistic competency training for HC professionals.

Pg 932 The Govt will estab Preventative & Wellness Trust fund- initial cost of $30,800,000,000-Billion.

PG 935 21-22 Govt will identify specific goals & objectives for prevention & wellness activities. Control YOU!!

PG 936 Govt will develop “Healthy People & National Public Health Perform. Standards” Tell me what to eat?

PG 942 Lines 22-25 More Gov’t? Offices of Surgeon General -Public Health Svc, Minority Health, Women’s Health

PG 950- 980 BIG GOV’T core pub health infrastructure including workforce capacity, lab systems; health info sys, etc

PG 993 Gov’t will establish school based health clinics. Your kids won’t have a chance.

PG 994 School Based Health Clinic will be integrated into the school environment. Say GOVT Brainwash!

PG 1001 The Govt will establish a National Medical Device Registry. Will you be tracked?

The bold might actually be added in by Rick Joyner. This list is from an article he wrote and someone sent me via an email link. The article is religious/prophetic in nature, but even if that's not your bent, don't overlook this very real threat!

I'm trying to keep my head from exploding. Really. Is this our America? Is this the "change" Obama promised? Part of it certainly. A diabolical part.

Three things:

PRAY. This is it. Will this generation of American Christians face judgment having not "done all to stand" against this? In the email I got, my friend wrote,

"...let us begin to earnestly pray for God to intervene in America. I believe that the intervention of God primary includes the awakening of the church to the wisdom of God, to its divine mandate, the emboldening of the church to lift its voice not in fear or in political reaction but with the Spirit of the Lord empowering it to speak and declare the truth in righteousness.

The Kingdom of God never ceases to advance. Even when the enemy seems to be gaining the upper hand, His tactics will always backfire on him. I believe that the church is about to awaken in America. Let us earnestly pray together for the Lord to lift a standard of righteousness against the flood of darkness."

I couldn't agree more.

CALL YOUR CONGRESSMEN. Don't know who they are? Check here. Call the capitol switchboard (202-224-3121), ask for their office, and give them your opinion. If they get nasty, or try to argue with you, don't let up. If they hang up, call again. Email. Fax.

TELL OTHERS. Your friends. Your email list. Your facebook and twitter folks. Your pastors and neighbors and everyone else.

Where Do I Start?

***Update below***

Cindy alerted me that the Congress is trying to destroy America.

Well, no, I already knew that.

Specifically she alerted me to HR 2749 that is being voted upon about now, and while I can't confirm that for sure, it is on the roster to be voted upon in the House, possibly this moment.

I blogged before about this, or a similar food safety bill, that purports to "save us" from all potential threats in our food supply, but in reality is special-interest mega-corporations using the laws (by the way, isn't that called fascism??) to slam down the little guy, the market farmer, the home poultry producer and gardener, for heaven's sake.

Natural News has some good information on it.

Do what you can, what you will. Call your congressmen (Capitol Switchboard 202-224-3121). Find out what they are doing did or plan to do. Expect lies, expect rude aides, expect to vote them all out of office as soon as possible. Wow, expect mealy-mouthed capitol switchboard people, after you let it ring 4 dozen times.

***Aw crap (I say that a lot, huh?) They already voted on it. The aide didn't know how my congressman voted, but took my mailing address so they could send me whatever form letter would be appropriate.

Have we had enough? Have YOU had enough?

I'll post again shortly.