It seems that most people in America live their lives with the controls set to autopilot. Everything they do is so predictable and routine that they simply fail to pay attention to the larger world around them. If something doesn't directly impact their neatly structured little world they are comfortable with just not caring. Further, most people seem to think (feel) that they have no say when it comes to things governmental other than voting occasionally.
What they fail to realize is that our elected officials in Washington D.C. are working (pardon that expression) every day to limit our liberty and restrict our freedoms. Look at it this way. Every single time a new law or regulation is passed we have collectively just lost a bit of personal control over our lives. It's no more difficult to understand than that. The assault on our collective liberties and freedoms is a matter of concern for all Americans. You do have a voice beyond voting! It's as simple as writing or calling your elected Representatives. Yes... sadly that does require some effort.... but not enough to cause you to sweat. Here are some of the assaults that are underway at this time.
The "Fairness Doctrine"
I've mentioned this before so you can read those comments also. Frankly there is absolutely nothing fair about the fairness doctrine. It's a cute sounding name and that's it. What that cute name masks is Stalinist repression of speech and public discourse.
The targets of the fairness doctrine are those who do not toe the liberal party line and regurgitate their political talking points. For example, Air America is just fine with the left but folks Like Limbaugh and Hannity have to allow "corrections" to their opinions and "right wing hate speech." If you really want to hear hate speech.... give air America a listen some day.
The FOX network is also a target of the fairness doctrine. Why? They give both sides of a story or issue and let you decide what to think about it! If you're a leftist that kind of irresponsible journalism simply cannot be tolerated. If you are old enough to remember the Soviet Union and Pravda then you can understand what kind of press the left wants in America today.
All you have to do is watch any network but FOX to see the kind of reporting they think is fair. (Not that FOX is all that great when it comes to representing the whole picture, but they are a bit better.) Take Iraq. Mainstream media beats suicide bombings and troop losses into us relentlessly. Can you remember even one positive story on any of the major networks? How much coverage have the over 5000 public works projects received? Do you remember them showing the Iraqi families taking their kids to the circus in Baghdad? Coverage of the thriving Iraqi stock market? How about coverage of the normal lives and freedom from fear and oppression in the 95% of Iraq that is peaceful and quiet? Nope! Not a word. Why is that? Because the left says the war is wrong. They say it's going badly and we must get out now! If they told the truth and showed the American people the whole story then we'd all be able to see just how well things are going and how much good we've done for the average Iraqi citizen. That sort of one sided reporting is what the left needs to seize and maintain power.
TAXES
Lord knows this is my least favorite thing. I hate being robbed and not having the option of of giving the robber a sound thrashing. Those with a functional brain know and understand that if the people get to keep more of the money they bust their butts for everything is better. We can save more, invest more, afford to buy better things, enjoy a better life and live in a better economy. John Kennedy knew that, Reagan knew that and Bush knows that. I've discussed this topic before too so read back in the blog and educate yourself.
The wonderful democrats are planning two HUGE tax increases if they are able to seize power completely. One is a stealth tax increase that will add around $2000 to the tax bill of the average tax payer. The other is a $450 BILLION dollar tax increase that they hope to pass into law. This is more than twice as big as the Clinton tax increases.
The stealth increase comes from legislative inactivity. If they do nothing.... then the Bush tax cuts will expire in 2010. Trust me. If the liberals seize and maintain control of government they WILL do absolutely nothing. This, combined with their new planned hikes, will serve to take us back to those wonderful days of the Carter administration. (look it up kids) Out of control inflation, home mortgage interest rates in the low 20% range, and a misery index for the American people. Just lovely! You have less money in your pocket and everything you want or need costs more...... figure it out.
The F.D.A.
The Food and Drug Administration recently posted an innocent little 14 page document on their official web site. It's called "Draft Guidance for Industry on Complementary and Alternative Medicine Products and Their Regulation by the Food and Drug Administration." This document is open to public comments until April 30, 2007 - just a few days from now.
Here's what it boils down to: If you use an herbal or dietary supplement to stay healthy or to help prevent an ailment, that's fine. But if any supplement is used to treat a symptom, then it's a medicine and will be regulated by the FDA, just like any prescription drug. And there's a qualifying statement to that second part: The supplement will be exempted if it is "generally recognized, among experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate the safety and effectiveness of drugs, as safe and effective for use under the conditions prescribed, recommended, or suggested in the labeling."
In other words, the freedom to use a supplement to treat a condition will be at the discretion of FDA experts. And given the track record of FDA experts, this is really bad news. With this spacious latitude, there's no telling just how far the FDA might go to restrict access to supplements. For instance, they could take a widely used supplement off the market if the label states a benefit; such as using lutein to reduce the damage from age-related macular degeneration, or using chondroitin and glucosamine to reduce joint pain, or using probiotics to address digestive problems - the list goes on and on. Under the proposed FDA guidelines even bottled water might be considered a drug if used to alleviate severe dehydration, which is an emergency medical condition. Think about this, Yoplait Yogurt contains probiotics. If this law passes you'd have to get a Doctors Prescription and see a pharmacist to buy yogurt!!
You can find the full text of the FDA document at this link:
http://www.fda.gov/OHRMS/DOCKETS/98fr/06d-0480-gld0001.pdf
And you can use this link to submit your comments:
http://www.accessdata.fda.gov/scripts/oc/dockets/comments/COMMENTSMain.CFM?EC_DOCUMENT_ID=1451&SUBTYP=CONTINUE&CID=&AGENCY=FDA
I'm not saying that the republicans have been the sharpest tools in the Washington D.C. shed lately. Lord knows they they have drifted away from the Reagan brand of conservatism that serves the country and it's people best. The prescription drug plan should have never passed. McCain Fiengold should have never been signed. There is a laundry list of things that they have done, or failed to do, and they do need their feet held to the proverbial fire. But unless we the people write to and call our elected officials they are operating in a vacuum. How can they do what WE want them to do if WE don't bug them to death and let them know?
If you are lucky enough to have republican representation then, by all means, get off your dying dead ass and bug the hell out of that person! The way they do the numbers is that each e-mail counts as the opinion of 10 voters and each phone call counts for 100. That is how they gauge public opinion on issues. If you are unfortunate enough to have a democrat representative then you are served just as well by going to Starbucks for a double latte. In their opinion the last brilliant thing you did was elect them. From that point forward you are simply far too stupid to understand the issues or have any input of any value whatsoever. THEY know what is best for you and they will ram it down your throat, like it or not.
There is some small hope, however. Elections still happen. Grow a brain and cast your vote for someone else next time you have the opportunity.
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