Round 2

What’s up everyone?

I hope all of you had a wonderful and safe holiday season. The newly elected Congress members have been sworn in and are now at work. They have succeeded by repealing ObamaCare in the House. Now, I’ve heard some of the TV/ radio pundits say that this step was only a symbolic one because the Republicans don’t have the votes in the senate to repeal ObamaCare there. President Obama has said that if it were to pass through the senate, he would veto the bill. I think the decision by House Republicans to raise and debate the issue is a crucial one. As happened last year, ObamaCare will ignite a national controversy. But are conservatives ready and prepared to win the debate?

I view this upcoming battle as a three round boxing match. This will be a drawn out, nasty battle. House Republicans, conservatives, and tea party folks all must be ready to stand our ground! Democrats will not lose this round without a fight. Now, I’ve heard some of the procedural maneuvers Republicans will possibly use in the Senate. Republicans will likely force procedural votes that serve as a proxy of sorts to get the Democrats in the senate on record. Because any vote that would ultimately lead to repeal would require 60 or 67 votes, no GOP led efforts would actually pass the Senate. Republicans say they will happily take the consolation prize that comes with an official roll call vote: the ability to force Senate Democrats who are up for re election to vote again in support of a health care measure that remains unpopular in their home states. This could be a good move. I don’t recall any Congressional /Senate candidates who ran in this past election, putting out there that they voted for and supported ObamaCare. I recall most not even mentioning it, even when called on it. By putting them on record, it may sway enough Democrats to back down and vote with Republicans to repeal. Remember, when faced with being ousted from office, politicians will do what they have to do to survive.

Another way of going about this is to just hit them with the truth. To tell the American people exactly what ObamaCare will cost them. Republicans need to remind America that the huge increases they are now paying in their health insurance are concrete evidence of the impact of the mandates in ObamaCare. They need to point out that the $500 billion in Medicare cuts are coming and that, already, reductions in Physician fees are driving thousands of doctors to close their doors to Medicare patients. Republicans need to explain that ObamaCare creates an entirely new entitlement and swells the deficit. I don’t think most voters buy the argument that ObamaCare will cut the deficit. The larger point is that the new Republican House gives conservatives a chance to re-ignite the battles they lost in Congress in 2009 and 2010. At each turn they need to re-fight the battle for public opinion and carry it each time. Republicans probably won’t get repeal in the Senate, but they will be able to de-fund the program. They can block the IRS from enforcing the individual and employer mandates and they can stop Health and Human Services from slicing $500 billion from Medicare.

Round 2 of this fight is upon us. It will be a long fight but conservatives will need to stand their ground in the face of the hue and cry that they are being irresponsible and holding the nation hostage. Folks, also remember we must watch that other hand. We must not get so narrowly focused that we forget to watch the back door. This will be hard work but the payoff is a brighter future for all. Check out our website www.peopleofliberty.com read and or join in our blogs. Also there are all sorts of good articles to read and educate us.

I’ll leave you all with this question; do you think that being a hypocrite is part of the political DNA?


-Until next time, Rodney

That Shining City on a Hill

Happy New Year Folks,



I hope that all of you had a terrific holiday and that the New Year will bring you many blessings. Now I know a lot of you are excited about the new Congress being run by the Republicans and can’t wait for them to reverse a lot of the damage caused by the previous Congress but, I warn you to be very vigilant. As Rodney and I have said in the past “watch what the other hand is doing.”


Now I am going to get into the “uncomfortable” place for many of us (including myself) and that is the responsibility that we have so long forgotten about, defending the Constitution.


“We the People” are the protectors of our Republic; “We the People” are the ones who shouldn’t have let things get so out of hand; “We the People” are actually responsible for where we are. Now, I am as guilty as the next guy when it comes to being easily distracted from this sacred duty to defend our Constitution. I mean think about it, what is it that you devote your attention to? We put our National responsibility on the back burner and occupy our free time with other, more entertaining things like sports (guilty), American Idol (not guilty), good times with friends (guilty), going to the movies (guilty), or amusement parks (guilty). Ask yourselves this, prior to getting upset with the current situation, how many times did you contact a politician to let them know how you felt? How many times did you debate others about the Constitutionality of a law? Heck, how many of you knew so much about our history?


I remember as a Boy Scout (yes, I was a Boy Scout) taking an oath “to do my duty to God and my country”, and again in the military taking an oath to “support and defend the Constitution of the United States against all enemies, foreign and domestic…So help me God”, have I lived up to either oath? Sadly, I have not.


What happened to me happens to most of us, life. But what is life (I know, deep question)? Do you think you have a reason for being here (deeper question)? Is it what you are doing now or is it something bigger? I’m sorry to get so deep here but think about it, if we don’t pay attention to where our country is headed, and if we continue to let the politicians run the country the way they have over the last 100 years where will we be next? We must be vigilant and educated or things will not change.


Ronald Reagan often stated that America was a shining city upon a hill and that we were the last great hope of freedom loving people the world over. Now, with that in mind, what would the world be like were we to give up the fight, to just sit back and be entertained by our distractions? We are more than half way there now! If we don’t wake up and wake up others the “Last Great Hope” may well be gone.


“Let us resolve tonight that young Americans will always ... find there a city of hope in a country that is free.... And let us resolve they will say of our day and our generation, we did keep the faith with our God, that we did act worthy of ourselves, that we did protect and pass on lovingly that shining city on a hill." — Ronald Reagan



Until Next Time,

Mike