Keep It Under Your Hat

Greetings Mr. Harsimran Kaur (United Sikh Coalition),
The ability to fly in the United States is not a right, it is not enshrined in our Constitution or Bill of Rights.It is a privilege. Just like having a driver's license. With that privilege comes responsibilities and regulations. We who drive are subject to random sobriety check points. When we fly we are subject to searches. It is the price we pay for living in a dangerous world. Checking headwear is no different than being asked to remove coats and place them on the x-ray conveyor belts.With regard to racial or ethnic profiling, that is a time-tested method used by law enforcement for decades. Nearly 100% of all international terrorism is perpetrated by radical Islamic fundamentalists.We who fly have a reasonable expectation that the government and the airlines will use all reasonable methods at their disposal to ensure our safety. This practice is reasonable. I think your ire would be better received if it were directed at denouncing and rooting out those Islamic factions responsible for making this screening necessary in the first place.

What Do These People Want?

Peaceful, freedom-loving people are going about their typical daily routines; getting the kids up for school, preparing breakfast, doing the laundry, going off to work, fixing the car, painting the house, camping up in the mountains; and then BOOM! Hijacked airliners start crashing into buildings. People scratch their heads, what in the world is going on? And why? We and those like us around the world harbored no evil designs or ill will toward those that planned and carried out these and other attacks like them before they happened. Our desire is that people everywhere have every opportunity to enjoy the best life possible. To that end the United States and our friends offer aid and support of all kinds to countries and peoples in need. We have for decades. Whenever catastrophes occur we are there with money, medicine, food and manpower. To those who don't like us or want our help we adopt a live and let live philosophy. We may not always understand why we are not liked, but we accept the fact that not everyone is our friend. But it is important to know that we do not threaten those who disagree with us. Unfortunately, some that disagree with us do threaten us. This is what we don't understand. The most prudent course of action is to agree to disagree; peacefully.

Which brings us to the question of 9/11. What do these people want? Surely they don't think they will forcefully overthrow the West. Do they believe that they can terrorize us into submission to their desires? Perhaps. But what desires. They are not yearning for individual freedom or Western culture or even wealth. In fact, they claim that these are the very things they vehemently oppose. To the point of suicide. So is this really all about fanatical Islamic militantism? The forcible establishment of universal worldwide Islam? Something seems fundamentally wrong about a religion that seeks to convert unbelievers by killing them. Are prayers prayed with a gun in one's ear really sincere? There is no obvious temporal, earthly benefit to those forcing such a culture upon the West, is there? No doubt they believe that a grand reward awaits them in the next life for fulfilling what they interpret to be Allah's wishes here on planet Earth. But the only thing they stand to gain before that next life begins is simply the raw exercise of power over another person.
Come to think of it though, over the centuries that has been the cause of scores of wars. So this current iteration is not really so different; just megalomania with a spiritual twist.

How, then; do peaceful, rational people deal with irrational murderers on a self-proclaimed religious jihad? Can you reason with someone willing to die for his wicked cause if he truly believes that he is headed for a grand reception in the sky? Probably not. Then what can we do to protect ourselves? First we do all that we can to educate and inform ourselves here at home. We must be vigilant and wise. We must protect our borders and admit immigrants only with scrutiny and caution. Every step must be taken to keep weapons and instruments of destruction out of the hands of those who mean us harm. A coordinated global effort to root out pockets of terror and hatred must be undertaken and sustained. These cells and breeding grounds of murder must be summarily destroyed whenever and wherever they are found. This effort will never end, just as our city police departments never close. Those who provide money, arms, training, food, shelter and safe-harbor to terrorists must be sternly dealt with. The cost of such complicity must be so high that it is absolutely unpalatable to those who do not share the suicidal zeal of the fanatics. We must continue to provide aid to those in need and pursue the peaceful spread of freedom.

Immigration

If this U.S. federal government refuses to enforce and protect our borders, refuses to build the southern border fence, refuses to enforce our immigration laws, imprisons our Border Patrol agents for doing their jobs, allows Mexican trucks to roam unchecked on our highways, allows illegal aliens access to our social and financial resources, refuses to deport illegal aliens, institutes an amnesty program for illegal aliens and institutes a guest worker program for illegal aliens; then this U.S. federal government is derelict in its Constitutional obligations and has broken the Constitutional covenant with the American people. The American people may have no choice but to rise up as we did in the American Revolution and forcibly replace this U.S. federal government and reestablish our U.S. Constitution. I am a peaceful citizen, a father, a husband and a physician. I don’t own a gun—yet. But my patience is worn thin. I hear people talking. May God bless America!

King for a Day

I have lost all faith and trust in the ability of the Federal Government (all three branches; Executive, Legislative & Judicial) to properly govern the affairs of our country. This is due in large part to a mostly apathetic, uneducated, immoral, amoral and dependent citizenry. In a sense we have the government that we deserve. President George Washington warned that a democratic form of government would only likely succeed with a moral citizenry. I think that even our financial system is corrupt. Adam Smith only discussed the concept of money in The Wealth of Nations in conjunction with ethics and morality. He referred to money as an ethical standard. I don’t believe that really is the case now. We are not teaching our children to understand our form of government or economics. People are shackled by unconscionable personal debt, have no concept of work, saving and thrift, believe that they should have anything that they want and believe that the Government will take care of them if and when they can’t. What a recipe for disaster! So, can we regain our footing? I’m not really sure. But there are a few things that I would do were I king for a day:

· Mandatory 2-year public service at graduation from high school or upon turning 18. It could be military or some other paid public service. Don’t tell me that we can’t order people around like that. We did it during the military draft. And we do it every day when we force people to pay mandatory taxes. My money IS my time. Most Americans work for the government through May each year to pay taxes before they can keep a penny for themselves. That’s 4-5 months of involuntary government servitude every year.
· Maybe property ownership to vote.
· Proof of basic civics knowledge to be allowed to vote.
· A 22% Federal Sales Tax, the ‘FairTax’ (NOT a V.A.T.) to replace the Income (Personal and Corporate) Tax, along with abolishing all Capital Gains Taxes and all Estate/Death/Inheritance/Gift Taxes.
· Outlawing all personal consumer credit other than one primary home mortgages for the sole purpose of the home purchase. No 2nd, 3rd home equity loans to finance cars or vacations to Hawaii. No car loans. No further credit card purchases or credit. Cards could still be used for purchases/travel, but only to the amount of cash in the personal bank account backing the card. Current credit payment contracts/rates would be locked and then after 7 years all unpaid balances would be forgiven with no tax implications.

Constitutional Amendments I Would Like to See

Abolish the Department of Education, no Federal funding of education
Enforce borders, deport illegal aliens immediately, no ID cards/Drivers licenses, no medical/education/welfare benefits (life or death emergency only pending deportation), no U.S. Citizenship for children of illegal aliens born on U.S. soil.
English as official and only language of Federal business
No Federal estate tax
No Federal capital gains tax
No Federal income tax on corporations
Abolish Federal Social Security
No Federal unemployment insurance or medical insurance/payment programs
The Interstate Commerce clause refers only to taxes levied by one State on real goods manufactured in another State and then sold in that State. It shall not be broadly interpreted and applied.
Personal income taxes shall be paid quarterly by the individual, not their employer. Move to the FairTax, a national sales tax, NOT a value added tax.
Federal personal taxes of all types, names and intended uses shall not exceed 10% of a person’s total yearly net income.
The powers and authorities of the Federal Government shall be strictly limited to the express and explicit enumerations contained within the Constitution, as amended.
There shall be no Federal Minimum Wage.
Enforce the Ninth and Tenth Amendments, and the First and Second. How about all of them?
There are no penumbras or emanations from the Constitution or Bill of Rights.

Capitalism

“Capitalism does not insure that people will always make good choices. But it does insure that people will always have choices.”

50 and Broke?

So, you’re 50 and broke huh? Are you finally ready to listen to your mother? It’s time to swallow your pride and do what I’ve been telling you for years. Your generation has done it all backwards. My generation worked hard, did without, saved our money and then when we could afford it we got the things that we wanted. You sniveling baby-boomers thought you could do it your way, after all you are the smartest and most coddled generation in history. Well, it finally caught up with you didn’t it? You thought you could go out and get whatever you wanted right off the bat and try to figure out how to pay for it later. It backfired. While we made compounding work for us, you have had it working against you from the day you left high school. And the credit card companies thank you as they laugh all the way to the bank. Well, they are the bank. So here are some thoughts in no particular order:

· Stick with your job; quit jumping from one to another. Get a second job evenings and weekends. Both of you. Put the kids to work. Put the dog to work
· Cut up the credit cards and pay cash for what you really need. Points are for suckers
· No more $4 cups of coffee, $100 sneakers or $3000 TV sets
· Cancel the newspaper and all magazine subscriptions
· Cancel the cable or satellite TV
· Cancel the satellite radio
· Don’t lease cars
· Quit buying new cars
· Quit buying new, big houses and financing them with ARM’s, Interest-Only Loans, and Minimum Payment/Negative Amortization Loans. Refinance now
· Snow skiing is too expensive
· You can’t afford to shop at Whole Foods
· Goodwill and The Salvation Army have great deals on almost-new designer clothing and home furnishings. Swallow your pride, put on some sunglasses and go shop
· No more movies, concerts or sporting events. No more $5 popcorn and $3 sodas
· Find your public library. It’s probably on the way to Barnes & Noble.
· If you have a home mortgage, car note or personal loan/credit card debt you have no business investing. Real investing is for people who fly private jets, drive Bentleys and carry more mad cash in their pockets than the net worth of the company you work for
· When you start having a little extra cash each month (what a concept, huh?) start putting a little into savings. The goal is 10% GROSS, remember?
· Start paying a little extra against the highest rate debt that you have. When that’s paid off just keep going down the list
· Don’t be proud, ask family if they can help (particularly the older ones, they have all the liquid cash)
· You do not have to hire the Ringling Brothers and Barnum & Bailey Circus for you kids’ birthdays. Birthdays and Christmas are great times for new shoes
· Great people have graduated from in-state public universities
· Kids do not have to be in a dozen after-school activities
· Monopoly and chess are much better ways to learn life lessons and thinking skills than Grand Theft Auto. Smart kids get scholarships
· Get rid of the cell phones. They do make emergency-only phones for teens. Cell phones are for investors
· No more fast-food and restaurants. Restaurants are where investors have lunch. Learn to actually cook; it’s fun and nutritious. And cheaper (remember, no shopping at Whole Foods)
· Malls are for people-watching, not shopping
· Massage parlors are not places that nice people go to
· You can do your own nails
· Vacations are for people who can really afford them (Hint)
· Quit running to the doctor every time you sneeze. You’re not really sick and you are driving the doctor crazy. Besides, generic cold medicine at the grocery store is much cheaper (Not Whole Foods)
· The terms ‘all natural’ and ‘organic’ are not in your vocabulary
· The Lottery is not a retirement plan. Quit buying tickets

Now shut up and get to work!

Declaration of Independence from Judicial Tyranny

In DISTRESS, July 4, 2005
The unanimous Declaration of the People of the United States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the judicial bands which have connected them with the Federal Courts and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.—That to secure these rights, Courts are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed,--That whenever any Form of Judiciary becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or abolish it, and to institute new Courts, laying their foundation on such principles and organizing their powers in such form, as to them shall deem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Courts long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shown that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Courts, and to provide new Guards for their future security.—Such has been the patient sufferance of these Americans; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Federal Judiciary. The history of the present Courts is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Judicial Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

They have conspired with State Courts in Florida to order the brutal torture and murder of mentally handicapped people.

They have denied the same Rights to unborn citizens that are ascribed to Citizens of these States.

They have ordered Legislatures to lay taxes and levies on the People without their consent.

They have illegally amended the Constitution in the Kelo case, eradicating the protection of private property by changing the original intent of public use to that of private use for eminent domain. (added August 28, 2007)

They have found non-existent Penumbras and Emanations from the original text and meaning of the Constitution and Bill of Rights.

They have misinterpreted and misapplied the Commerce Clause.

They have taken for themselves the exclusive right of Judicial Review, thereby usurping this authority from the Executive and Legislative branches.

They have made a mockery of the First Amendment, banning religious ceremonies and displays from all public discourse and failing to enforce the safeguards of Free Exercise.

They have permitted the squashing of Political Speech sixty days prior to an election.

The have systematically ignored the Ninth and Tenth Amendments.

They have intimidated the Senate so as to disallow simple votes on Presidential Judicial Nominees in violation of the intent of Advise and Consent.

They have brought Foreign Ideas and Principles into the adjudication of cases before them.

They have extended the Rights and Benefits of our Nation’s Laws to Aliens.

They have erected a multitude of lesser Courts, and sent hither swarms of Judges to harass our people and eat out their substance.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms; Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Judge, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the judge of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our legislative brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their Supremes to extend unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our Constitution and Bill of Rights. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and consanguinity. We must, there, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in Elections, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the People of the United States of America, in General Distress, Assembled across the land, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the Good People of these States, solemnly publish and declare, That these People are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent from Judicial Tyranny, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the ersatz Federal Judiciary, that they have full Power to read and understand our Laws, engage in Contracts, correctly enforce the Commerce Clause, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent Citizens may of right do.—And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes and our sacred Honor.