Do they have a Forth of July in England?

It’s an easy question to trip up the best of snobs with. I love asking people the question every year. Most people are quick to answer “No” as they have no idea of the question asked of them and some have a problem seeing the sense of it.

The truth is the British don’t observe the American holiday celebrated on the 4th known as Independence Day. A sad truth is most people in this country don’t know why they do so other than to cook out, wave flags and watch an annual display of evening fireworks that takes place in every city, town, village or burb on this date. The best fireworks I have seen were while at a military base on a Libyan shore of the Mediterranean Sea and again on the mall in Washington, DC. The foreign display stands out because of the fact Americans could celebrate such in that locale and the water was peacefully calm – a movie couldn’t have captured that evening.
Every American should experience Independence Day in DC at least once. I saw the Beach Boys before they were banned and the fireworks were ethereal as I happened to be in the vicinity of the reflecting pool situated between the Washington monument and Lincoln memorial. They are shot up to go off over that area and the residual sparkles shower down there.

How many of those reading this have read the Declaration of Independence as of late? How about the Constitution of the United States? I have hard copies here on my desk.
They can be seen and read HERE   

The Declaration of Independence pretty much lays the situation of that day out on the paper it was drafted on. We need a present day revolution and draft another similar document for now and the future to restructure the obese and intrusive leviathan known as the United States government – though doing so would seem almost hypocritical in nature. Truth be told, the present federal government has surpassed many of the oppressions petitioned for redress in that petition drafted 233 years ago. Read through them and decide for yourself.
Likewise, there are many ideals not realized today as was planned in the drafting of the Constitution. There have been so many amendments to the original it appears to be moth eaten. I will have to go so far as stating many of the goals that were planned have never seen light.
Too many representing too many interests changed the big picture and distorted the vision. A problem I can point at is most professional politicians are lawyers. I don’t know if that fact was foreseeable nor were the implications. “What implications?” you may ask. Law does not change unless a court, judge(s) rather than a jury, decides it need be changed. A judge is nothing more than a lawyer promoted to the highest position he can achieve. The Supreme Court is the super bowl of judges.
The problem? Lawyers bring various torts/cases/suits before a court of law to be judged. Most often a judge will render a decision based upon the present statutes. If a decision is appealed the case is given to a panel of higher court judges to make a ruling to uphold the previous decision or change it. If they find reason to change a ruling they alter a statute or law which effectively altars every ruling made based upon the previous statute. What results is a ripple or domino effect that can be nightmarish. It happens everyday in every state as well as in the nation’s capitol. When it comes to shredding the Constitution and/or the Bill of Rights I find it deplorable. The majority of us have based our lives upon the ideals of the template whereas others seek a way to tear it down.
What I find really distressing is these same people want to celebrate Independence Day along side me.

I could write tomes on the subject but wanted to touch on the sentiment of the holiday and what we hopefully base it upon.

Politics…my overly simple message still rings true…

 

I wrote this in August of 2006 and it makes me wonder where all of the RonPaul2008 people were then. I considered this my “grassroots movement” years before I wrote it all out for any to read. This proves to me that though his message is strong Ron Paul is not going to be president. If I can conceive of the same message his minions are falling for why can’t another?

It is not rocket science or brain surgery. Rather, it is the re-education of a lazy and complacent society that willingly assumes their elected officials are “doing something” for them then are shocked and complain about it when they learn otherwise.
Are Ron Paul’s minions ready to carry through with what he has promised? He has vowed to eliminate the IRS and the current system of taxation that now pays for every service our bloated federal government provides for us. Does he mention who will foot the bill for his salary as well as that of everyone that receives a paycheck from the US Government? How about all of the “They ought to do something about that” branches of the federal government that are fueled by tax dollars?
I am not a fan of the taxation system in this country and never have been. I am a baby-boomer that paid into the system my entire working life. I am also old and wise enough to realize our OVERLORDS need funding in some manner to accomplish what they vote to do in the bills they pass for our good.  However, “WE, THE PEOPLE” have yet to institute a system by which the Federal Government should function in a financially responsible manner, much as we would be forced to with the resources we have in our banking accounts. We can’t spend what we don’t have unless we go deep into debt with creditors. Unfortunately, this has happened with far too much of America as well as with the federal government. The present administration is spending money like a horde of teenage girls in a shopping mall with a stolen American Express card.
Sure it all sounds good in the “RAH RAH Pep Rallies” Dr Paul’s followers sense while he is speaking. It seems rather easy to be lulled into how good it would be if we had a colonial sense of government but, think about the population of those colonial times versus 2007.
The USA is just shy of 3 billion citizens currently – the population of the US was roughly one tenth of that number during the American revolution. We’ve allowed an elitist ruling class to become responsible for us in 200 short years. We look to it for our welfare concerning air, food and water qualities and blame it for not doing enough. We look to it for our health and safety concerns of all manners, including national security and public assistance during times of crisis. When it doesn’t work as we expect we point fingers and blame it further.
How about a less radical stance – trimming the fat a little bit at a time? I live in the shadow of DC and have seen it all too well at times. The fat is more evident the closer one is to the epicenter of any corporation or government.

Flat rate taxation sounds good and looks good on paper, correct? Postage stamps increase in price every few years – what will prevent our legislators from bumping up that flat tax rate in the future as they have allowed the cost of postage stamps to increase over the years? Legislation prevents any other interests from become letter handlers as the Postal Service. Why not have some choice in the matter?

JUST FOR SHITS AND GIGGLES…

Do me a favor and register to vote. Put down your beer and remote controls, grab someone else and go register. You can do it online right now.
Then…GO OUT AND VOTE!!!

Why?? I don’t know how the rest of America interprets the current state of the USA – good, bad?
Do ya like the war? Do ya know why we are there?? Do ya know the total sum of money that has been wasted over in the sand? Do you buy into the propaganda of the spin doctors of the federal government??

Ask yourself this – who are the enemies of the USA and why? Do you agree with Bush’s ongoing mantra of “stay the course”? Are his “enemies” those of the of the USA? Do you believe everything the media has told you about the 9/11
strikes on WTC and the Pentagon? Do any of the conspiracy theories cause you to wonder?
I lived in northern Libya for 3 years – a very Muslim nation – in the early 60s. There was a mosque 100 yards from my bedroom with a minaret that some guy would come out and shout prayers from. I was a tow headed kid who would wave at the guy and shout back – he would wave to me. What did I know of infidels and Muslim versus Christian ideals? They could have killed me any day during the 3 years I lived there. I don’t think about Muslims unless it is a news story that is directed toward me in a very negative fashion by one of the media channels. I have friends that believe all Muslims carry a gun or bomb with which to kill an American and therefore must be killed before they can do such.
Are all Muslims enemies of the USA? I can think of several American citizens elected to public office that have committed crimes against the USA – are they enemies of the state?

As far as Bush…we are protected from him and others like him by the XXII amendment, ratified in 1951. It limits the Pres/VP to two terms. However, we have 535 other individuals that can serve as many terms as their lives or constituents will allow. They are the legislative branch of the US government which happens to be the very same that passed the XXII amendment. Do ya think they would ever do the same to themselves?

This paragraph should be familiar to any American that has a mind of this country’s role in the world at present time. It also begins the rest of the document of what it defines…
*************************************
We the People of the United States, in Order to form a more perfect Union, establish Justice, insure domestic Tranquility, provide for the common defense, promote the general Welfare, and secure the Blessings of Liberty to ourselves and our Posterity, do ordain and establish this Constitution for the United States of America.
*************************************
Does anyone else that reading this paragraph notice that it specifically denotes “We the People of the United States” and then ends with “Constitution for the United States of America”?
Where does it specify the rest of the world?

I do not have a weekly column in a periodical nor a television program with which to broadcast my message so I have been trying, in my own “grassroots” manner, to ask people to get out, register to vote and put the government back into the hands of “WE, THE PEOPLE“.
The largest obstacle I face is the common comeback of “my vote doesn’t count”. I will never say it in mixed company – politics is a touchy topic in public -  but, I agree when it comes to the Presidential election. Think back to 2000 and the mess that happened in Florida with the count of the electoral votes in that state. Al Gore won the popular election but lost the electoral. The governor of the state just so happened to be Jeb Bush, younger brother of W. Bush. Not many will say it but that was a crooked deal – how many recounts do we need? Gore was gracious and knows the score…if it smells like shit it is.

Time for reality… There are 3 branches of the federal government – executive, the president/VP, secretaries of who done it and the rest of what is under the white house – legislative, the 435 state representatives and 100 senators that pass bills that become laws and – judicial, the supreme court. Of the 3, the legislative branch is ultimately the most powerful – if they know what they are doing. The votes cast for these 535 seats do count as there is no electoral college involved. These are all decided by popular votes.
WHICH LEADS TO… these 535 seats should not be held by the same people for generations. Isn’t that what this country tried to abolish with the “Declaration of Independance“?
Professional senators and representatives in the same office for 20 years of more wield the same power as dukes, barons or counts of the 18th century. Again, the XXII amendment limited the President to 2 terms for this reason.
Something to ponder…you have no voice in the election process of those from a different state than your own. Ted Kennedy is but one I will use as example for holding office for 40+ years. I do not live in his state and have not a vote – yea or nay – whether he should remain.
These seats should be as revolving doors. One should have a vocation or business that may be vacated for up to two terms so the concerns of different communities and businesses have an opportunity to be represented by more than the status quo. If an individual is drafted to serve in the military, the business that employs them holds that position for them if they want to return. Why not the same for serving in public office?
The “old school” manner of legislation has run its course as the cost of maintaining these legislators has escalated far too high. Salaries average in the $165K+ yearly and they carry most of that with them as yearly pensions after they leave office. The cost of running their many offices – yes, they have a main office on the hill in DC and 1 or more satellite offices that require staffing(at generous salaries) as well as the customary office supply needs. Guess who foots that bill? The junkets that were a given in the past have been scrutinized as a waste for some years.
There is far more waste than I can go into – you have the net at your disposal, look into it.

This “grassroots movement” will require more than just a few adamant voters to make a difference. The whole of America has to be re-educated (basically kicked in the ass) so as to remove ourselves from the complacency that pervades. ie…
“As long as the TV works and beer is available most will sit and go along with the status quo”.
We all know it to be true yet how do we change it?!!

Just two generations ago, people would lose sleep over the outcome of elections because they KNEW the face of the country would change as well. I remember staying up late into the night as a youngster with my father waiting for the full election counts to tally in. To be truthful, this has become a nation whose reflection can be seen as the TV cartoon known around the world as “The Simpsons”. Sure, there are those that don’t fit that mold but one thing I have always said about “The Simpsons” was “it’s funny because it’s true”. Sadly, I think i am paraphrasing a line from Homer.

The beauty of this whole “grassroots” idea is those that feel a need to be elected and make a difference actually can once the idea is rolling. The stipulations to be a legislator are less than that to be president.
From the Constitution…
The president of the United States must
Be a natural-born citizen of the United States
Be at least 35 years of age, and
Be a resident of the United States for at least 14 years.
[U.S. Constitution, Article 2, Section 2, Paragraph 5]

Senate candidates shall be

at least 30 years of age,
a U.S. citizen for nine years, and
a resident of the state when elected.
[U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 3, Paragraph 3]

House of Representatives candidates shall be

at least 25 years of age,
a U.S. citizen for seven years, and
a resident of the state when elected.
[U.S. Constitution, Article 1, Section 2, Paragraph 2]

One hurtle to overcome is the need to raise millions of dollars to campaign for a job that pays $165K.
However, once the re-educated American public gets involved and wants to take back the government and end federal waste, balance the budget and end the affairs that take place behind closed doors the price of admission should reduce.

All of this from my puny little head, correct?

I am more concerned about the future of this country now than ever and the industrial-military faction that serves none but warmongers such as those like Cheney and his Haliburton pals. Isn’t that frightening enough to alter the way we think about politics? Shouldn’t we VOTE for other than “the same old guys” or “the same old party”?

If any has a sticker/magnet displayed anywhere that proclaims “I support our troops” ask yourself what you are supporting.
Do you support a faction of this country that is like a crime mob and their wants to use our armed forces anywhere/anytime for personal gain?
If you actually feel for those that are needlessly dying or facing other hardships in countries we have no reason to be in your support would be to insist they be home now. If you buy into the propaganda of leaving the middle eastern area unstable with millions of terrorists wanting to follow us back you have no knowledge of the history of the middle east and should remove the sticker/magnets as you support the war. To what end? I have no ill will towards our soldiers; my father was a veteran of Korea and Vietnam and I am a military brat. I think more of their welfare and the stupidity of placing them there.

The USA is not an empire nor should we continue in our empirical ways around the world.
Sure, we can be friendly and should trade with other countries but, do we have the right to dictate to others what we feel is right and wrong?
Go back up to the first paragraph of the Constitution and decide after reading it through again.

It is late in coming but, we need to vote out incumbent and impotent legislators with two terms or more to begin to taking the USA government back into the hands of WE, THE PEOPLE.

How hard of a message is that to remember and pass along?

HAPPY INDEPENDENCE DAY?!

I have been to numerous fireworks shows – my father used to moonlight for good cash and do those shows while he was in the military. The best one I ever remember seeing was in the 1960s. We lived in Libya and the shows were shot off over the Mediterranean sea while all of those watching were on blankets, towels or whatever on the beach. He did them everywhere we lived and I learned the technical side; basically cool for an adolescent military brat.

Second to that was the time I went to the Mall in DC and had a day of wall to wall people. Like Mardi Gras, I suggest it for the young and all should attend once. I went in the 1980s – my girlfriend’s parents even dragged me downtown for Reagan’s second inauguration back then. I guess you gotta do it all if you live here. What!?? You don’t like CRABS!!!

I got to see the Beach Boys perform a full concert way back in time. The fireworks were the icing on the cake after checking out the . Back in the days before the WWII memorial (like there are not enough memorials on the mall) displaced the beauty of the Mall the works were shot up over the reflecting pool and that was the place to be. The show took place directly overhead and the little silver and gold sparkling embers fluttered down to the point you could almost touch them.
I’ve had a seat on a rooftop of a 10-story building a dozen blocks away as well as watching them from across the Potomac river near Arlington memorial cemetery – underneath is the best.

I’ve gotten into watching the annual Maryland public television program “A Capitol 4th” over the past few years. I enjoy seeing the entertainment on the west lawn of the capitol building that I would never have a chance to see otherwise. The National Symphony Orchestra is a staple and is one of the best, in my opinion.

I don’t know about the rest of my fellow citizens but, I get a warm fuzzy feeling when I hear Patriotic standard tunes such as “Stars and Stripes Forever”, “God Bless America”, “America the Beautiful”, “National Anthem” and a dozen more when played by by a full symphony orchestra such as the NSO.
I hear and feel the emotion behind the words and musical notes and it takes me away from present day America.

What do I mean?!

I don’t know how anyone in their sane minds can feel any patriotism for the sorry excuse of a government that WE,THE PEOPLE vote into the White House, senate and congress. This has to be the low point of American government for the ages.

Tomorrow, all of the “4th of July” magic will be gone save for the fact it is a 5 day weekend for most federal employees and the rest of America that will continue to swill beer until Sunday night.

When did WE, THE PEOPLE decide that we couldn’t have our own simple fireworks – firecrackers and bottle rockets – for this holiday??! This is but one freedom lost to the political machine with the assistance of lawyers. What else is to follow? I can count a few already.

Does anyone feel that patriotic magic at any other time of the year? It’s not like our over-commercialized fake Christmas season that goes on for 60 days. The majority of you get more worked up about that than being Americans as it is. Christmas starts the day after Halloween and ends January 1 = 60 days. The majority of people that take part in all of the festivities are not Christians. They may claim to be but, it is merely a part of our society that has become a festive custom with no thought of who. what when, where or why. Show me in any bible where it is written that Christmas is to be an observed “HOLY DAY” and I will look further and write about it. It was against the law to celebrate the holiday in this country at one point.
Cards, present, decorations, special clothes and parties…that’s Christmas. Most know the words to several carols but can’t recite the Pledge of Allegiance.

I pledge allegiance to the Flag
of the United States of America,
and to the Republic for which it stands:
one Nation under God, indivisible,
With Liberty and Justice for all.

The latest assault on our patriotic heritage is the want to remove the two words “under GOD” from this pledge of patriotism as some think it is against their better judgment. The ACLU has been taking an active part in this move to erode a very wee part of America – a part that most people have no contact with to begin with. The following is Eisenhower’s words when changing the wording …

“In this way we are reaffirming the transcendence of religious faith in America’s heritage and future; in this way we shall constantly strengthen those spiritual weapons which forever will be our country’s most powerful resource in peace and war.”

If we read of very early American history, the reason so many Europeans to made the trip is in these words.

Those that want to change it are the same people that worry about the Political Correctness of our very lives. Get off of it folks – read The Declaration of Independence and the Constitution instead. Base your “feelings” – where feelings come into play, I dunno – upon the written word the government of this country is based. There is no crying in baseball and there is no allowance to tear down the fabric of this country on behalf of PC either.

As for the Republican weenies that are trying to push “Truth, Justice and the American Way” onto the rest of the world – unconstitutionally – be ready to tumble. I certainly hope and pray that my fellow countrymen are learning to put down their TV remotes and beer so that they may re-educate themselves about the political process. Get your friends and family registered to vote and let’s get this train back on its tracks.

If you were born in this country and are at least 35 years of age you are eligible to run for president of the USA. If the selection we have to pick from is the very best and brightest this country has to offer we are, quite frankly, FUCKED.
The two party system is ineffective and the results of such can be seen by the “war” we are five hundred billion dollars in debt to.
WE, THE PEOPLE have to vote at every election so that the old wood is lost and new minds can start to legislate. There are far too many professional politicians on Capitol hill with tenures of 20 years or more. And doing what?? Google congress or the senate and look at the years of the individual’s tenure.

My favorite presidential candidate to point out is Ron Paul from TX. He is an old goat; where has he been with all of his political genius for the past 30 years?? He is now the tool of the internet crowd that have as much of a clue as he does. This guy is their political saviour?

I have come to learn that the more one is detested for no reasons, the more they are a threat to the status quo. The status quo is dangerous in two respects as it can be the same old bald tire about to go flat in one sense or the knife that is slicing away the prime cuts and leaving nothing but bone in another. Either way, it is a system that is wholly inefficient.

Back to the main point…will you feel the same about your country in two months as you did today when you watched the fireworks?
If no, why?

Think of how a child stares in wonderment of a fireworks display and has no idea at all why it is there. He has yet to learn why he lives in a cornucopia which the rest of the world desires; in some regards. At least he was free to watch the fireworks and hopefully went home with his parents to sleep in a nice bed.