Like him or not, Karl Rove is gifted at sizing things up and getting to the core of people and campaigns. The guy is brilliant and effective, which is why he's earned the title "The Architect".
Two items from Rove here:
1. Last night (9/26/2012) on The O'Reilly Factor, he explained exactly WHY some polls are not to be trusted.
Here's the video and transcript:
http://www.foxnews.com/on-air/oreilly/2012/09/27/rove-be-careful-polls-carter-once-beat-reagan
2. Then in today's Wall Street Journal, Rove writes what is on the minds of many of us, in a succinct article. Many of us consider it obvious, but this article will be read by huge numbers of people.
Obama's Biggest Opponent Is The Truth
http://www.rove.com/articles/420
Thursday, September 27, 2012
Tuesday, September 25, 2012
Romney's Plan For Jobs And The Economy
In my last post I referenced a question I ask Obama-supporters:
"What are Obama's plans to increase jobs and improve the economy the next four years?"
An embarrassing question that usually results in a blank stare, because he has no real plans, either because he doesn't know HOW to increase jobs and improve the economy, or he has agendas that don't include such nice things as that.
Well, is Romney any better in this area?
Absolutely yes.
Take some time to visit http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
Click on each heading, and see how a basic understanding of economics, free enterprise, capitalism, and business can make all the difference in the world.
Such understanding includes things like:
- reducing corporate taxes, which frees up capital to expand business and hire more people
- reducing and simplifying personal taxes, which allows more money in people's pockets that they can SPEND, which in turn creates more growth
- reducing unnecessary (often insane) regulations that hinder business growth and waste their money that they could use to hire people and expand
It's not rocket science, but Obama doesn't get it.
Again, visit http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
"What are Obama's plans to increase jobs and improve the economy the next four years?"
An embarrassing question that usually results in a blank stare, because he has no real plans, either because he doesn't know HOW to increase jobs and improve the economy, or he has agendas that don't include such nice things as that.
Well, is Romney any better in this area?
Absolutely yes.
Take some time to visit http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
Click on each heading, and see how a basic understanding of economics, free enterprise, capitalism, and business can make all the difference in the world.
Such understanding includes things like:
- reducing corporate taxes, which frees up capital to expand business and hire more people
- reducing and simplifying personal taxes, which allows more money in people's pockets that they can SPEND, which in turn creates more growth
- reducing unnecessary (often insane) regulations that hinder business growth and waste their money that they could use to hire people and expand
It's not rocket science, but Obama doesn't get it.
Again, visit http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
Saturday, September 22, 2012
Here's What I Ask Obama Supporters (The Answers Would Be Funny If They Weren't So Tragic)
Here's the question:
What are Obama's plans to increase jobs and improve the economy the next four years?
When you ask this to the typical Obama supporter, you will be amazed at the blank stares you will get.
The "sharper" O-supporters will immediately change the subject and barrage you with redirection and smoke-blowing.
Most will just "think" (I use the term loosely) and kinda make something up.
Why?
Because Obama has no plans to increase jobs and improve the economy!
On this day (September 22, 2012), even his Presidential candidate web site lists no plans under the "issues" topic "Jobs and Economy".
Before listing 4 items, on Obama's site the statement is made that Obama is fighting to "grow the economy from the middle class out, not the top down."
This is an obvious attempt to pander to the largest percentage of voters (who unfortunately may think it sounds good). But actually this is as economically stupid a statement as has ever been made!
But that's a subject for another article.
Here are the 4 items listed under "Economy" on the Obama website:
1. Rescuing The Auto Industry
I'm not kidding. That's point #1.
First of all, he didn't rescue the auto industry, he only temporarily rescued the very Unions that have bankrupted the auto industry. But that's a subject for another article too.
The point in this article is simply that this is not a PLAN for the next four years! It's the PAST! See what I mean? It's done! That's not a plan!
2. Reviving U.S. Manufacturing
That's not a plan either! It simply cites the fact that manufacturing jobs have increased the last couple of years. But a) it gives no reason "why", and b) it gives no future plan to continue manufacturing job growth.
The point is that Capitalism is dynamic. Growth is NORMAL. But all Obama has done regarding that growth is put policies in that have kept it from growing even more!
3. Made In America
Okay, I admit this is at least sort of a "plan", by definition. He says he will eliminate tax breaks for companies that "ship jobs overseas", and create incentives to businesses to bring back jobs to the U.S.
Fine.
One embarrassing question, Mr. Obama: If you did nothing along those lines in the first four years, is there ONE reason why we should believe you will do it in the next four years?
More nice-sounding smoke blowing.
=====================
By the way, building a business overseas in many cases can HELP the U.S. It's the power of free trade.
One huge example is Apple, with their iPhones, iPads, etc.
It cannot be calculated how many jobs in the U.S. and how much productivity in the U.S. has been produced by this one company, who manufactures in China and elsewhere.
If everything had been done in the U.S., an iPhone might cost $1500 or more, and be out of the reach of the "masses".
Steve Jobs, before he passed away, told Obama to his face that Government regulations and artificially inflated wages made it necessary to manufacture overseas.
But again, subjects for other articles.
=====================
4. Making Sure Everyone Plays By The Same Rules
Another nice-sounding platitude for the ignorant.
It references un-specified (and questionable) Wall Street reform already done. Again, it's not a PLAN, but some bragging on what's been done.
And yet, Wall Street guys are among Obama's hugest donors, regularly appointed by Obama to important positions, and a huge example of Obama hypocrisy.
I'll write more on the contrasting actual plans that Mitt Romney proposes, which show actual understanding of ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES, but for now, look at Romney's proposals, especially the two sections on "Tax" and "Regulation":
http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
What are Obama's plans to increase jobs and improve the economy the next four years?
When you ask this to the typical Obama supporter, you will be amazed at the blank stares you will get.
The "sharper" O-supporters will immediately change the subject and barrage you with redirection and smoke-blowing.
Most will just "think" (I use the term loosely) and kinda make something up.
Why?
Because Obama has no plans to increase jobs and improve the economy!
On this day (September 22, 2012), even his Presidential candidate web site lists no plans under the "issues" topic "Jobs and Economy".
Before listing 4 items, on Obama's site the statement is made that Obama is fighting to "grow the economy from the middle class out, not the top down."
This is an obvious attempt to pander to the largest percentage of voters (who unfortunately may think it sounds good). But actually this is as economically stupid a statement as has ever been made!
But that's a subject for another article.
Here are the 4 items listed under "Economy" on the Obama website:
1. Rescuing The Auto Industry
I'm not kidding. That's point #1.
First of all, he didn't rescue the auto industry, he only temporarily rescued the very Unions that have bankrupted the auto industry. But that's a subject for another article too.
The point in this article is simply that this is not a PLAN for the next four years! It's the PAST! See what I mean? It's done! That's not a plan!
2. Reviving U.S. Manufacturing
That's not a plan either! It simply cites the fact that manufacturing jobs have increased the last couple of years. But a) it gives no reason "why", and b) it gives no future plan to continue manufacturing job growth.
The point is that Capitalism is dynamic. Growth is NORMAL. But all Obama has done regarding that growth is put policies in that have kept it from growing even more!
3. Made In America
Okay, I admit this is at least sort of a "plan", by definition. He says he will eliminate tax breaks for companies that "ship jobs overseas", and create incentives to businesses to bring back jobs to the U.S.
Fine.
One embarrassing question, Mr. Obama: If you did nothing along those lines in the first four years, is there ONE reason why we should believe you will do it in the next four years?
More nice-sounding smoke blowing.
=====================
By the way, building a business overseas in many cases can HELP the U.S. It's the power of free trade.
One huge example is Apple, with their iPhones, iPads, etc.
It cannot be calculated how many jobs in the U.S. and how much productivity in the U.S. has been produced by this one company, who manufactures in China and elsewhere.
If everything had been done in the U.S., an iPhone might cost $1500 or more, and be out of the reach of the "masses".
Steve Jobs, before he passed away, told Obama to his face that Government regulations and artificially inflated wages made it necessary to manufacture overseas.
But again, subjects for other articles.
=====================
4. Making Sure Everyone Plays By The Same Rules
Another nice-sounding platitude for the ignorant.
It references un-specified (and questionable) Wall Street reform already done. Again, it's not a PLAN, but some bragging on what's been done.
And yet, Wall Street guys are among Obama's hugest donors, regularly appointed by Obama to important positions, and a huge example of Obama hypocrisy.
I'll write more on the contrasting actual plans that Mitt Romney proposes, which show actual understanding of ECONOMIC PRINCIPLES, but for now, look at Romney's proposals, especially the two sections on "Tax" and "Regulation":
http://www.mittromney.com/jobs
Friday, September 21, 2012
Thomas Sowell on "The Fallacy of Redistribution"
This is must-read great common sense from brilliant economist Thomas Sowell:
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell092012.php3
Here's a sampling:
"The history of the 20th century is full of examples of countries that set out to redistribute wealth and ended up redistributing poverty. "
Here's one more:
"You can only confiscate the wealth that exists at a given moment. You cannot confiscate future wealth — and that future wealth is less likely to be produced when people see that it is going to be confiscated."
http://jewishworldreview.com/cols/sowell092012.php3
Here's a sampling:
"The history of the 20th century is full of examples of countries that set out to redistribute wealth and ended up redistributing poverty. "
Here's one more:
"You can only confiscate the wealth that exists at a given moment. You cannot confiscate future wealth — and that future wealth is less likely to be produced when people see that it is going to be confiscated."
Cheering For The Holocaust of the Unborn
There were many disappointing things about the Democratic Convention in Charlotte, North Carolina a couple of weeks ago.
One of the most disappointing was the loud cheering for the right to kill unborn children.
It distinctly reminded me of when Jesus stood on the porch of Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor.
Once a year, Pilate would release a prisoner just for the heck of it, whether the prisoner was a murderer, robber, (or terrorist as in the case of Barabbas, who was slated for possible release).
Ancient Liberal foolishness.
This time Pilate gave the crowd a choice -- release Barabbas, the terrorist, or Jesus, the...the what? Teacher, carpenter, religious leader, friend of sinners?
Yes, but in this scenario even Pilate perceived him as a King of sorts -- King of the Jews.
Of course, the crowd called for the release of Barabbas, not Jesus.
Pilate actually tried to release Jesus, but the crowd threatened to report him to Caesar for aiding a King other than the Roman king, Caesar.
So Pilate gave one last try by showing Jesus to the crowd, saying, "Behold your king!"
And the crowd shouted, "Away with him, CRUCIFY him!"
Pilate, apparently stunned at the bloodthirsty call for the killing of an innocent man, asked, "Shall I crucify your KING?!!"
And they shouted those chilling words, "WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR!"
This was my thought as I heard the crowd at the Convention of the Party whose platform officially sanctions the killing of millions of other innocent lives, as they shouted and chanted and grinned and snarled, "We have no king but Obama, our Champion of the Holocaust of the Unborn!"
And so, almost 4,000 unborn babies will die today in America -- and 4,000 tomorrow -- and Sunday, and Monday ad nauseum.
And Barack, if elected, will likely nominate at least two more Supreme Court justices, who will make sure that the Holocaust continues for decades to come.
And the crowds cheer.
God have mercy.
One of the most disappointing was the loud cheering for the right to kill unborn children.
It distinctly reminded me of when Jesus stood on the porch of Pontius Pilate, the Roman Governor.
Once a year, Pilate would release a prisoner just for the heck of it, whether the prisoner was a murderer, robber, (or terrorist as in the case of Barabbas, who was slated for possible release).
Ancient Liberal foolishness.
This time Pilate gave the crowd a choice -- release Barabbas, the terrorist, or Jesus, the...the what? Teacher, carpenter, religious leader, friend of sinners?
Yes, but in this scenario even Pilate perceived him as a King of sorts -- King of the Jews.
Of course, the crowd called for the release of Barabbas, not Jesus.
Pilate actually tried to release Jesus, but the crowd threatened to report him to Caesar for aiding a King other than the Roman king, Caesar.
So Pilate gave one last try by showing Jesus to the crowd, saying, "Behold your king!"
And the crowd shouted, "Away with him, CRUCIFY him!"
Pilate, apparently stunned at the bloodthirsty call for the killing of an innocent man, asked, "Shall I crucify your KING?!!"
And they shouted those chilling words, "WE HAVE NO KING BUT CAESAR!"
This was my thought as I heard the crowd at the Convention of the Party whose platform officially sanctions the killing of millions of other innocent lives, as they shouted and chanted and grinned and snarled, "We have no king but Obama, our Champion of the Holocaust of the Unborn!"
And so, almost 4,000 unborn babies will die today in America -- and 4,000 tomorrow -- and Sunday, and Monday ad nauseum.
And Barack, if elected, will likely nominate at least two more Supreme Court justices, who will make sure that the Holocaust continues for decades to come.
And the crowds cheer.
God have mercy.
Tuesday, September 18, 2012
Economics In One Post
In the previous post, I addressed Three Things Liberals Don't Know.
Here are the SHORT answers to the three relevant questions:
1. How are jobs created?
First, jobs are NOT created by Government. The Government may hire someone, true.
But even a Government job, with the Postal Service for example, is artificially supported by taxes given by the private sector. It's not "created" by economic production.
Jobs are created by entrepreneurs, through businesses. The overall term for this is Capitalism, and Liberals and Statists of all stripes at best don't understand this, or at worst despise it.
Anyway, the bottom line question that should rightly be asked is, "How can we HELP these heroic entrepreneurs grow their businesses and thereby CREATE JOBS?
2. How do we grow the economy?
First, similarly to #1 above, the economy is NOT grown by Government.
The most they can do is to PRETEND to grow the economy by spending money. But where do they get that money?
Some they get by borrowing, then skim off the top for cumbersome administrative expenses, and then spend it on a temporary basis, which provides a phony short-term "growth", increasing our national debt which then has to not only be repaid, but with interest! A negative-growth proposition, especially long-term.
Some they get by taxes, then skim off the top for cumbersome administrative expenses, and then spend the leftover, which would have been spent anyway if it had not been taxed! A negative-growth proposition.
Who actually grows the economy? Again, it's businesses! The same businesses which employ people who then make money that they can spend on other businesses, creating positive growth.
3. What do "rich" people do with the money they have left over after taxes?
There can be many answers, but almost all lead to the same place.
a) Some of their money, often a LOT, is put back into their own businesses, creating more jobs and more growth.
b) Some is invested in other businesses, either directly or through investment portfolios like stocks, which then create more jobs and more growth.
c) Some is spent on "vulgar" "obscene" extravagances like fancy cars, jewels, luxury yachts, and multiple homes. Thereby providing jobs for car manufacturers, jewelers, yacht builders, home builders, their suppliers and the people who work for those suppliers, and the salespeople who sell these obscene things to the rich -- and thereby creating more growth for the economy.
d) Some, often a LOT, is simply given away to charities, churches, etc. Historically and typically, the more left over money they have, the more they give away for various causes. While perhaps economically "neutral", it's the backbone to much good in our nation.
e) For the record, a TINY percentage may be squirreled away in stacks of $100 bills or gold coins in a safe deposit box in a numbered account in some foreign country or Caribbean island. But the rich are not so stupid as to do much of that. It's unproductive, a bad ROI (return on investment), and therefore unprofitable.
So the bottom line question that should rightly be asked is "How can we MAXIMIZE the amount of left over money these jobs-producing growth-producing rich people get to keep -- thereby MAXIMIZING jobs and economic growth?"
Here are the SHORT answers to the three relevant questions:
1. How are jobs created?
First, jobs are NOT created by Government. The Government may hire someone, true.
But even a Government job, with the Postal Service for example, is artificially supported by taxes given by the private sector. It's not "created" by economic production.
Jobs are created by entrepreneurs, through businesses. The overall term for this is Capitalism, and Liberals and Statists of all stripes at best don't understand this, or at worst despise it.
Anyway, the bottom line question that should rightly be asked is, "How can we HELP these heroic entrepreneurs grow their businesses and thereby CREATE JOBS?
2. How do we grow the economy?
First, similarly to #1 above, the economy is NOT grown by Government.
The most they can do is to PRETEND to grow the economy by spending money. But where do they get that money?
Some they get by borrowing, then skim off the top for cumbersome administrative expenses, and then spend it on a temporary basis, which provides a phony short-term "growth", increasing our national debt which then has to not only be repaid, but with interest! A negative-growth proposition, especially long-term.
Some they get by taxes, then skim off the top for cumbersome administrative expenses, and then spend the leftover, which would have been spent anyway if it had not been taxed! A negative-growth proposition.
Who actually grows the economy? Again, it's businesses! The same businesses which employ people who then make money that they can spend on other businesses, creating positive growth.
So the bottom line question that should rightly be asked is, "How can we HELP these heroic business builders to grow their businesses and thereby grow the economy?"
3. What do "rich" people do with the money they have left over after taxes?
There can be many answers, but almost all lead to the same place.
a) Some of their money, often a LOT, is put back into their own businesses, creating more jobs and more growth.
b) Some is invested in other businesses, either directly or through investment portfolios like stocks, which then create more jobs and more growth.
c) Some is spent on "vulgar" "obscene" extravagances like fancy cars, jewels, luxury yachts, and multiple homes. Thereby providing jobs for car manufacturers, jewelers, yacht builders, home builders, their suppliers and the people who work for those suppliers, and the salespeople who sell these obscene things to the rich -- and thereby creating more growth for the economy.
d) Some, often a LOT, is simply given away to charities, churches, etc. Historically and typically, the more left over money they have, the more they give away for various causes. While perhaps economically "neutral", it's the backbone to much good in our nation.
e) For the record, a TINY percentage may be squirreled away in stacks of $100 bills or gold coins in a safe deposit box in a numbered account in some foreign country or Caribbean island. But the rich are not so stupid as to do much of that. It's unproductive, a bad ROI (return on investment), and therefore unprofitable.
So the bottom line question that should rightly be asked is "How can we MAXIMIZE the amount of left over money these jobs-producing growth-producing rich people get to keep -- thereby MAXIMIZING jobs and economic growth?"
Saturday, September 15, 2012
Three Things Liberals Don't Know
There is a great opportunity in this election for Liberals to learn something. Actually three things.
They can learn these three things from Mitt Romney, and especially from Paul Ryan, if Ryan is freed up to teach the people some basic economics (he may not be for political expediency reasons).
What Ryan knows (and Romney to some extent) and Liberals don't, are these three things:
THREE THINGS LIBERALS DON'T KNOW
1. How to create jobs.
2. How to grow the economy.
3. What rich people do with the money they have left over after taxes.
If Liberals cared (they don't, unfortunately), they could learn these three things in this election cycle.
Why don't Liberals care to learn those three things?
1. Partly, -- and I kinda hate to say this because it inflames them, but it's so true that it's gotta be said -- partly because they are brainwashed.
Literally.
From public school unionist teachers, media propaganda, and Liberal parents and politicians, they are taught for decades principles of BAD ECONOMICS, mostly Keynesian, but also Socialistic, even Marxist.
So they simply think opposing views are merely swear-words -- capitalism, free-market, supply-side, trickle-down, Austrian economics, etc. -- demonized ideas from demon Conservatives, blah, blah, blah.
I'm not even saying that free-market Conservatives aren't brainwashed in their economics, but at least they're brainwashed with a correct view :)
2. Partly, there is a sympathy for those "in need".
This is understandable, even commendable.
But it invariably leads to foolishness. Including the foolishness of thinking that Conservatives do NOT have sympathy for those "in need".
It is SO foolish sometimes that it would rather have EVERYONE at an equal poverty level of, let's randomly say "4", than to have 1% of the population be "evil" rich people at a "10" producing an economy that kept even the "poor" at a level "5" poverty.
If you're an economic Conservative, you know EXACTLY what I mean by that last paragraph. Alas, if you're a Liberal, you're either asking, "What's he TALKING about!?", or merely think I'm insane :)
3. If they learned the real way that jobs are created, what grows the economy, and what rich people do with their left-over money, they would be responsible to act on that knowledge.
This is often unacceptable to them. They might be ostracized by their peers in some way. Students would no longer "care" like their Liberal friends, actors would be denied some jobs, teachers and autoworkers would have to oppose their own unions, professors would have their tenure questioned, politicians would get booted out of their Liberal districts, etc.
I mean, seriously, truth can really mess up lives :)
4. Many have lost (or never learned) the intrinsic value of Liberty.
They consider Freedom an inane foolishness, and therefore not worth voting for, let alone fighting for.
They are Statists in the true sense of the word. They literally think the savior of mankind is the State, the Government.
And many Christians, to their shame, are perfectly willing to sanction the Holocaust of the Unborn, for example, to the higher good of "The State".
These Statists have embarked on a quest for a Utopia. And Utopias ALWAYS lead to increased loss of liberty, repression, and eventually slavery (either willingly for those "dependent" on the State, or unwillingly for those who oppose the State, if they're allowed to live at all -- ref. Cuba, for example).
As the laws, restrictions, and regulations pile up in huge stacks of Congressional Utopian Bills with nice-sounding Utopian names, the Utopian common man says, "Yes!", and the Utopian phony politician says, "Come into my web, my beloved slaves", and everyone's happy...except they're not...because they're empty.
They've climbed their ladder to Utopia, and found their ladder is at the wrong wall. But it's too late. History has repeated itself. And they're empty.
===============================
We'll be looking at some of those economic questions in future posts, but meanwhile, I highly recommend a short book on the subject, called Economics In One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt (pretty light reading for "Economics").
Regarding utopianism, I recommend Mark Levin's studious book, Ameritopia (not light reading, but not too long).
They can learn these three things from Mitt Romney, and especially from Paul Ryan, if Ryan is freed up to teach the people some basic economics (he may not be for political expediency reasons).
What Ryan knows (and Romney to some extent) and Liberals don't, are these three things:
THREE THINGS LIBERALS DON'T KNOW
1. How to create jobs.
2. How to grow the economy.
3. What rich people do with the money they have left over after taxes.
If Liberals cared (they don't, unfortunately), they could learn these three things in this election cycle.
Why don't Liberals care to learn those three things?
1. Partly, -- and I kinda hate to say this because it inflames them, but it's so true that it's gotta be said -- partly because they are brainwashed.
Literally.
From public school unionist teachers, media propaganda, and Liberal parents and politicians, they are taught for decades principles of BAD ECONOMICS, mostly Keynesian, but also Socialistic, even Marxist.
So they simply think opposing views are merely swear-words -- capitalism, free-market, supply-side, trickle-down, Austrian economics, etc. -- demonized ideas from demon Conservatives, blah, blah, blah.
I'm not even saying that free-market Conservatives aren't brainwashed in their economics, but at least they're brainwashed with a correct view :)
2. Partly, there is a sympathy for those "in need".
This is understandable, even commendable.
But it invariably leads to foolishness. Including the foolishness of thinking that Conservatives do NOT have sympathy for those "in need".
It is SO foolish sometimes that it would rather have EVERYONE at an equal poverty level of, let's randomly say "4", than to have 1% of the population be "evil" rich people at a "10" producing an economy that kept even the "poor" at a level "5" poverty.
If you're an economic Conservative, you know EXACTLY what I mean by that last paragraph. Alas, if you're a Liberal, you're either asking, "What's he TALKING about!?", or merely think I'm insane :)
3. If they learned the real way that jobs are created, what grows the economy, and what rich people do with their left-over money, they would be responsible to act on that knowledge.
This is often unacceptable to them. They might be ostracized by their peers in some way. Students would no longer "care" like their Liberal friends, actors would be denied some jobs, teachers and autoworkers would have to oppose their own unions, professors would have their tenure questioned, politicians would get booted out of their Liberal districts, etc.
I mean, seriously, truth can really mess up lives :)
4. Many have lost (or never learned) the intrinsic value of Liberty.
They consider Freedom an inane foolishness, and therefore not worth voting for, let alone fighting for.
They are Statists in the true sense of the word. They literally think the savior of mankind is the State, the Government.
And many Christians, to their shame, are perfectly willing to sanction the Holocaust of the Unborn, for example, to the higher good of "The State".
These Statists have embarked on a quest for a Utopia. And Utopias ALWAYS lead to increased loss of liberty, repression, and eventually slavery (either willingly for those "dependent" on the State, or unwillingly for those who oppose the State, if they're allowed to live at all -- ref. Cuba, for example).
As the laws, restrictions, and regulations pile up in huge stacks of Congressional Utopian Bills with nice-sounding Utopian names, the Utopian common man says, "Yes!", and the Utopian phony politician says, "Come into my web, my beloved slaves", and everyone's happy...except they're not...because they're empty.
They've climbed their ladder to Utopia, and found their ladder is at the wrong wall. But it's too late. History has repeated itself. And they're empty.
===============================
We'll be looking at some of those economic questions in future posts, but meanwhile, I highly recommend a short book on the subject, called Economics In One Lesson by Henry Hazlitt (pretty light reading for "Economics").
Regarding utopianism, I recommend Mark Levin's studious book, Ameritopia (not light reading, but not too long).
Why I Love Barack Obama
First A Word To Non-Christians
If you are not a Christian, there are still LOTS of reasons for you to vote against Barack Obama and for Mitt Romney.
And I hope you do.
But as a Christian, it would be a mistake for me to totally emphasize economic and social/moral issues without undergirding those things with an appeal to you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
To paraphrase a verse from the Bible, as Jesus said, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole [political] world, and forfeit his soul?"
Because all of us have been born with a sinful nature, and have sinned repeatedly against the holy and good God, our Creator, He would be perfectly just to condemn us all to hell forever.
But instead, He came to Earth as a baby, Who grew into a man, and He became the sacrifice Lamb of God. As such, He shed His blood, dying on a Roman cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day.
Alive today, this Jesus Christ offers forgiveness of sins, to ANYONE who will believe in Him, admit the wrong of their sins, and come to Him as their Lord and Savior. And it's a free gift. It can't be earned by good works or religious practices.
And then they (you) will not perish in everlasting torment without God, but instead have everlasting life with Him. This is the Gospel (Good News).
The Bible says, "He who has the Son [Jesus] has life." And this life brings what the Bible calls the "fruit" of His Spirit, which includes Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. In addition to the wonderful forgiveness of sins from Jesus, who loves us.
Millions of us who have come to Him, and love Him, will readily testify what a great and life-changing Savior He is.
If your heart is drawn to learn more of Him, I recommend you begin by reading the Gospel of John in the Bible.
Here is an online version:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NASB
Why I Love Barack Obama
I hope and pray that Barack Obama is not elected for a second term.
I'm not the least bit ashamed to say that he is a horrible and destructive President in everything from economics and job production, to his support for the Holocaust of the Unborn and homosexual marriage.
But I cannot hate him. I love him. Seriously. I wish him the very best in his life, beginning with a desire for him to truly know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and going on to wish blessings on his family and non-political pursuits.
1. God tells us as Christians to love even our enemies. Just as He sends rain on the just (believers) and the unjust (unbelievers), he calls on us to be like Him and love.
2. Barack Obama is made in the image of God, as are all of us. Though that image of God in us is marred by the entrance of sin in our world, way back in the Garden of Eden, yet there is something of worth and dignity in every man and woman.
This is the foundation of the concept of so-called Pro-Life.
There is value in the very life of a person. This is to be respected, even in the meting out of justice (for example in sentencing a murderer to death, which should be done with sorrow and gravity at the loss of a human life made in the image of God -- the Lord Himself said, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.").
3. The fruit of the Spirit is love. When we as Christians walk by the Spirit of God, love is the normal by-product, including love for President Obama. To hate him, or any man, is simply wrong.
Yet love is not hoping someone gets whatever they want, as we parents should know, and I hope with all my heart that Barack does not get what he wants...a second term :)
If you are not a Christian, there are still LOTS of reasons for you to vote against Barack Obama and for Mitt Romney.
And I hope you do.
But as a Christian, it would be a mistake for me to totally emphasize economic and social/moral issues without undergirding those things with an appeal to you to believe in the Lord Jesus Christ, the Son of God.
To paraphrase a verse from the Bible, as Jesus said, "What does it profit a man to gain the whole [political] world, and forfeit his soul?"
Because all of us have been born with a sinful nature, and have sinned repeatedly against the holy and good God, our Creator, He would be perfectly just to condemn us all to hell forever.
But instead, He came to Earth as a baby, Who grew into a man, and He became the sacrifice Lamb of God. As such, He shed His blood, dying on a Roman cross for our sins, was buried, and rose again from the dead on the third day.
Alive today, this Jesus Christ offers forgiveness of sins, to ANYONE who will believe in Him, admit the wrong of their sins, and come to Him as their Lord and Savior. And it's a free gift. It can't be earned by good works or religious practices.
And then they (you) will not perish in everlasting torment without God, but instead have everlasting life with Him. This is the Gospel (Good News).
The Bible says, "He who has the Son [Jesus] has life." And this life brings what the Bible calls the "fruit" of His Spirit, which includes Love, Joy, Peace, Patience, Kindness, Goodness, Faithfulness, Gentleness and Self-Control. In addition to the wonderful forgiveness of sins from Jesus, who loves us.
Millions of us who have come to Him, and love Him, will readily testify what a great and life-changing Savior He is.
If your heart is drawn to learn more of Him, I recommend you begin by reading the Gospel of John in the Bible.
Here is an online version:
http://www.biblegateway.com/passage/?search=John+1&version=NASB
Why I Love Barack Obama
I hope and pray that Barack Obama is not elected for a second term.
I'm not the least bit ashamed to say that he is a horrible and destructive President in everything from economics and job production, to his support for the Holocaust of the Unborn and homosexual marriage.
But I cannot hate him. I love him. Seriously. I wish him the very best in his life, beginning with a desire for him to truly know Jesus Christ as Lord and Savior, and going on to wish blessings on his family and non-political pursuits.
1. God tells us as Christians to love even our enemies. Just as He sends rain on the just (believers) and the unjust (unbelievers), he calls on us to be like Him and love.
2. Barack Obama is made in the image of God, as are all of us. Though that image of God in us is marred by the entrance of sin in our world, way back in the Garden of Eden, yet there is something of worth and dignity in every man and woman.
This is the foundation of the concept of so-called Pro-Life.
There is value in the very life of a person. This is to be respected, even in the meting out of justice (for example in sentencing a murderer to death, which should be done with sorrow and gravity at the loss of a human life made in the image of God -- the Lord Himself said, "I take no pleasure in the death of the wicked.").
3. The fruit of the Spirit is love. When we as Christians walk by the Spirit of God, love is the normal by-product, including love for President Obama. To hate him, or any man, is simply wrong.
Yet love is not hoping someone gets whatever they want, as we parents should know, and I hope with all my heart that Barack does not get what he wants...a second term :)
Thursday, September 13, 2012
Important Side-Road - Politics And Guarding The Heart
I consider it VERY important that you take a side-road and read this post from another blog of mine, especially if you are a Christian:
Politics And Guarding The Heart
Politics And Guarding The Heart
Should I Vote "The Lesser of Two Evils"?
I say, "Yes."
Full disclosure: I have gone both ways on this question at times.
On actual Voting Day I have gone the lesser-of-two-evils route, but in between elections occasionally I have thought, "Doggone it, that's enough! I'm not going to vote for another phony RINO (Republican In Name Only) who pretends to support the [usually excellent] Platform, and then betrays us with Liberalism!"
I currently believe that such a rogue attitude (which I'm sure I share with many of you at times) is wrong.
This was brought more clearly to me in a recent post or tweet, I can't remember which, by an online friend, Dan Phillips -- blogger, pastor, and author. He made the simple but profound statement, "EVERY vote is a vote for the lesser of two evils."
Now, unless you think that your candidate is Perfect, you've pretty much got to agree with that.
In a recent exchange with Ambassador Alan Keyes (www.loyaltoliberty.com), whom I have admired greatly for many years, but who disagrees with me on this subject, I wrote this:
=========================================
"God only is perfect, and in that relative sense every imperfect human is 'evil'.
"Thus EVERY vote is a vote for the lesser of two evils. To deny that is to demean the perfection of God, and His standard of perfection.
"We need a Savior precisely because we do not attain that standard. 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God', Rom. 3:23.
"So unless one thinks that Obama is the 'lesser of two evils', one ought to acknowledge that for a Conservative to vote a 'write-in' or '3rd-party' is a vote for the GREATER of two evils, Obama.
"This is because (and I realize 3rd-party-ists hate to hear this) no one else can win at this stage.
"While sadly I agree that both parties have huge Statist similarities, to say that there are no significant differences between Romney and Obama, as to policy, is a distortion of reality (deliberate or otherwise).
"Having said that, each should vote according to his conscience, but the conscience should be Scripturally informed, as opposed to thinking there is anyone completely absent of evil.
"To repeat, EVERY vote is a vote for the lesser of two evils."
===========================
Dr. Keyes responded:
"But you ignore the meaning of Christ's coming. By showing us the way to do good here, even here, he allows us to choose the sovereignty of God, 'on earth as it is in heaven.' Properly understood, this is what makes human self-government conceivable for us. We can choose to eschew evil, and learn from Christ's example to do good.
"Following Christ's instruction that we may aspire to be 'perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect'. For though God's perfection is beyond our reach unaided, it is not beyond our hope, through the mediation of Christ. Though in reaching we stumble, we never fall beyond the reach of the forgiveness Christ makes possible.
"The choice of Christ makes the choice of evils unnecessary. If we still follow that path it is because we choose to do so, not because we must.
"Since Christ came, Scriptural information isn't just a matter of words on a page, it is a matter of hearts transformed by the love of Christ and thoughts reformed by the mind of Christ. This is why the timid calculations of the 'lesser evil' leaders who profess to believe in the grace of God through Christ are so tragically mistaken.
"Their unprincipled calculus has brought us to the pass we're in. And as long as they persist in their pragmatic delusions, and people continue to follow them, we will not pass through the open door that leads back to our God acknowledging roots."
Full disclosure: I have gone both ways on this question at times.
On actual Voting Day I have gone the lesser-of-two-evils route, but in between elections occasionally I have thought, "Doggone it, that's enough! I'm not going to vote for another phony RINO (Republican In Name Only) who pretends to support the [usually excellent] Platform, and then betrays us with Liberalism!"
I currently believe that such a rogue attitude (which I'm sure I share with many of you at times) is wrong.
This was brought more clearly to me in a recent post or tweet, I can't remember which, by an online friend, Dan Phillips -- blogger, pastor, and author. He made the simple but profound statement, "EVERY vote is a vote for the lesser of two evils."
Now, unless you think that your candidate is Perfect, you've pretty much got to agree with that.
In a recent exchange with Ambassador Alan Keyes (www.loyaltoliberty.com), whom I have admired greatly for many years, but who disagrees with me on this subject, I wrote this:
=========================================
"God only is perfect, and in that relative sense every imperfect human is 'evil'.
"Thus EVERY vote is a vote for the lesser of two evils. To deny that is to demean the perfection of God, and His standard of perfection.
"We need a Savior precisely because we do not attain that standard. 'All have sinned and fall short of the glory of God', Rom. 3:23.
"So unless one thinks that Obama is the 'lesser of two evils', one ought to acknowledge that for a Conservative to vote a 'write-in' or '3rd-party' is a vote for the GREATER of two evils, Obama.
"This is because (and I realize 3rd-party-ists hate to hear this) no one else can win at this stage.
"While sadly I agree that both parties have huge Statist similarities, to say that there are no significant differences between Romney and Obama, as to policy, is a distortion of reality (deliberate or otherwise).
"Having said that, each should vote according to his conscience, but the conscience should be Scripturally informed, as opposed to thinking there is anyone completely absent of evil.
"To repeat, EVERY vote is a vote for the lesser of two evils."
===========================
Dr. Keyes responded:
"But you ignore the meaning of Christ's coming. By showing us the way to do good here, even here, he allows us to choose the sovereignty of God, 'on earth as it is in heaven.' Properly understood, this is what makes human self-government conceivable for us. We can choose to eschew evil, and learn from Christ's example to do good.
"Following Christ's instruction that we may aspire to be 'perfect even as your heavenly Father is perfect'. For though God's perfection is beyond our reach unaided, it is not beyond our hope, through the mediation of Christ. Though in reaching we stumble, we never fall beyond the reach of the forgiveness Christ makes possible.
"The choice of Christ makes the choice of evils unnecessary. If we still follow that path it is because we choose to do so, not because we must.
"Since Christ came, Scriptural information isn't just a matter of words on a page, it is a matter of hearts transformed by the love of Christ and thoughts reformed by the mind of Christ. This is why the timid calculations of the 'lesser evil' leaders who profess to believe in the grace of God through Christ are so tragically mistaken.
"Their unprincipled calculus has brought us to the pass we're in. And as long as they persist in their pragmatic delusions, and people continue to follow them, we will not pass through the open door that leads back to our God acknowledging roots."
============================
To Which I responded:
"Mr. Keyes,
To Which I responded:
"Mr. Keyes,
"I'm not ignoring the coming of Christ. He came because we are a fallen race in a fallen world. Even transformed hearts and minds are attached, as it were, to 'members' in which sin still dwells.
"Therefore, there are no 'perfect' candidates. So we are left with a) voting for a candidate who can win, b) voting for a [presumably better] candidate who cannot win, or c) not voting.
"Conscience can dictate which of those three we choose, but we have to at least admit that voting for someone who cannot win, or not voting at all, will aid by default one of the two who CAN win. This is math (though under the sovereignty of God, which I affirm at least as strongly as you do, even to the outcome of a dice toss).
"I don't believe you addressed two of my main points: 1) that realistically only BO or MR can win, and 2) that there are substantive differences between them, even though sadly several similarities as well.
"I think it's worth voting for Romney in order to take advantage of those substantive differences (e.g., even though we have been disappointed by Justice John Roberts, I would far rather have a couple of him nominated in the next four years than, say, a couple of Ruth Ginsburgs to preside over perhaps decades)."
=========================
Whereupon, Dr. Keyes renounced his position and declared for Romney -- just kidding :)
"Therefore, there are no 'perfect' candidates. So we are left with a) voting for a candidate who can win, b) voting for a [presumably better] candidate who cannot win, or c) not voting.
"Conscience can dictate which of those three we choose, but we have to at least admit that voting for someone who cannot win, or not voting at all, will aid by default one of the two who CAN win. This is math (though under the sovereignty of God, which I affirm at least as strongly as you do, even to the outcome of a dice toss).
"I don't believe you addressed two of my main points: 1) that realistically only BO or MR can win, and 2) that there are substantive differences between them, even though sadly several similarities as well.
"I think it's worth voting for Romney in order to take advantage of those substantive differences (e.g., even though we have been disappointed by Justice John Roberts, I would far rather have a couple of him nominated in the next four years than, say, a couple of Ruth Ginsburgs to preside over perhaps decades)."
=========================
Whereupon, Dr. Keyes renounced his position and declared for Romney -- just kidding :)
Dangerous Obama Revisited
In 2008 I published a site entitled Dangerous Obama (www.dangerousobama.blogspot.com).
In it I made predictions (really "observations") about Barack Obama, intended to show people what he was really about, because I could see the Hope-and-Change glaze over the eyes of people who should have known better.
In some ways it was one of the most brilliant campaigns ever run by a modern politician, because Obama tapped into two things that are evergreen in the human heart: HOPE (hope for WHAT hardly matters, too often), and CHANGE (after all, is everything perfect? Of course not, so we need "change").
That tapping-into of the human heart for Hope and Change touched everything from the highest spiritual levels of the soul, to the most "lizard-brain" aspects of the physical chemical processes in the gray matter of the brain.
Brilliant!
But tragic.
Those dangers I envisioned from Obama have come to pass. And we can only speculate what a second term, with no political restraints, might hold.
Unfortunately, several of the original links on the Dangerous Obama site are now dead. But an open-minded study of each of the areas of danger will show that these dangers are more real even than in 2008.
In this new blog, I hope to delve into some specifics of policy, philosophy, economics, and Christian theology as they relate to this 2012 election.
I won't claim, as the old cliche says, "This is the most important election in our lifetime!" Only God knows.
But I do believe it is important.
Nevertheless, to paraphrase R.C. Sproul in his recent Tweet re 9/11, "God was in the precise place on [election night] that He was on the day before and the day after. He was on His throne..."
In it I made predictions (really "observations") about Barack Obama, intended to show people what he was really about, because I could see the Hope-and-Change glaze over the eyes of people who should have known better.
In some ways it was one of the most brilliant campaigns ever run by a modern politician, because Obama tapped into two things that are evergreen in the human heart: HOPE (hope for WHAT hardly matters, too often), and CHANGE (after all, is everything perfect? Of course not, so we need "change").
That tapping-into of the human heart for Hope and Change touched everything from the highest spiritual levels of the soul, to the most "lizard-brain" aspects of the physical chemical processes in the gray matter of the brain.
Brilliant!
But tragic.
Those dangers I envisioned from Obama have come to pass. And we can only speculate what a second term, with no political restraints, might hold.
Unfortunately, several of the original links on the Dangerous Obama site are now dead. But an open-minded study of each of the areas of danger will show that these dangers are more real even than in 2008.
In this new blog, I hope to delve into some specifics of policy, philosophy, economics, and Christian theology as they relate to this 2012 election.
I won't claim, as the old cliche says, "This is the most important election in our lifetime!" Only God knows.
But I do believe it is important.
Nevertheless, to paraphrase R.C. Sproul in his recent Tweet re 9/11, "God was in the precise place on [election night] that He was on the day before and the day after. He was on His throne..."
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