posted by Old Hippie on May 15

First they came for the wealthy, and I did not speak out–
because I was not wealthy;
Then they came for the business owners, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a business owner;
Then they came for the Conservatives, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a conservative;
Then they came for the Capitalists, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a capitalist;
Then they came for the White People, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a White Person;
Then they came for me–
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

Dave ‘the Conservative Old Hippie’ Schultz
Friday, May 15, 2009

The above poem is my modern adaptation of a poem written by a German at the end of WWII – when he’d realized that his years of apathy of an egotistical madman was causing those around him losing their rights – and finally caused him to also lose his rights. His original poem went:

First they came for the communists, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a communist;
Then they came for the socialists, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a socialist;
Then they came for the trade unionists, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a trade unionist;
Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak out–
because I was not a Jew;
Then they came for me–
and there was no one left to speak out for me.

The Federal Constitution was written to give limited Powers to the Federal Government over the states. Basically if it isn't in the Constitution or an amendment, then the individual state is the authority. Yet the Federal government is redistributing wealth by their out of control spending, and taxing to try to pay for it. Part of why States are so willing to give up their rights – is that they need to be included in a higher level (state to state – instead of person to person) of wealth redistribution.

Barney Frank today said that we need to bail out California, Michigan, Massachusetts, and New Jersey from the trouble they have gotten into. These states got into trouble because of their outrageous spending – knowing the whole time that they couldn’t afford it. For instance, Frank’s Massachusetts gives Welfare recipients a car, and the state will pay for the repairs, insurance and licensing/inspections of those cars. If you get a job – you get to keep the car! It is a penalty to have a job in the Liberal world. It is the out of control Liberal wealth redistribution through spending on the lazy and underachievers, and taxing the working that got these states in trouble. For the rest of us to be taxed to bail those states out from stupid moves is Taxation without Representation.

You will recall that Barney Frank’s mantra use to be that we need to put a gun to the head of banks to give mortgages to those people who were being declined. Banks did so because Franklin Raines (The Clinton appointee to Fannie Mae, who made millions as a bonus for Fannie Mae growing because of these bad loans) said that the Government would guarantee the loans – but when push came to shove the government didn’t. This spending for homes the people couldn’t afford, and the selling of sub-prime loans (to investors thinking that the Federal government would guarantee) – caused a World Wide Economic bust. So along comes Obama – seeing an opportunity to nationalize banks, and become the majority stockholder through TARP. This use of our taxes to bail out the people who bought these homes, the banks/businesses that own these bad loans, or even the retirement funds that have stock in these losers is Taxation Without Representation. You cannot reward bad behavior and expect people to stop acting this way.

So after observing the spending of money that the States didn’t have, and after observing home buyers receiving mortgages that they can’t pay – what does the government want to do? They want to not only bail those out for their bad practices – but they want to take this bad spending that ruined the States and home buyers to a new level with Stimulus spending Trillions that we don’t have.

Over 200 years ago, it was said: that a Democracy “can only exist until the voters discover that they can vote themselves largesse from the public treasury. From that moment on, the majority always votes for the candidates promising the most benefits from the public treasury with the result that a democracy always collapses over loose fiscal policy, always followed by a dictatorship.”

Along the way we lose our rights. States that get the money – lose their rights as they need to do what Obama, Pelosi and Reid dictate they do for the money. Things like extend unemployment, and use Union Labor for the shovel ready jobs. Companies lose their rights. As soon as GM, Chrysler, AIG, and the banks accepted the money – the government became stockowners, put Directors into the boardrooms, and fire executives and replace them with their cronies. Obama has asked lawmakers to come up with a law limiting executive salaries. Communism, like Unions, determine the amount of money a position pays — and party loyalists get the best jobs.

Look at just a couple of the new laws that will go to a vote this and next month, all which will take away more of our rights. HR Bill 45 is a gun restriction law – by forcing registration of all guns, and provisions that include your consent for them to search your home anytime they wish — with your registration. Cap and Trade will tax us for our electric produced using oil or coal – or for the number of miles you drive. Universal Healthcare will take away your right to have a diagnostic test or medical procedure based on availability (doctors will be getting out of practice and hospitals no longer offering procedures that government reimbursements don’t adequately cover) – not need. Ultimately, it may be your usefulness to the party that determines how much is spent to save your life. The survival rate of cancer in England and Canada is far lower than ours (13% lower in Canada) – because of the many months on a waiting list for important tests. People die just waiting for diagnostic tests. Card Check will force Unions on all businesses – and the business’ only option will be to close. Moving to another state will not be an option.

In addition to the increase of tobacco and alcohol taxes a few months ago, the non-renewal of the Bush tax cuts, the cancelling of the campaign promise of lowering taxes on anyone making less than $250,000, reinstatement of Death Taxes, increases in Capital Gains tax, and the Cap and Trade tax about to voted on – new taxes on American businesses (the highest percentage of taxes on business anywhere in the Western Hemisphere) already taxed overseas for their overseas’ sales will be applied – driving even more business to move their home offices from the US. If you receive health insurance from your employer – you will be taxed on that as if income. The Nutrition Storm Troopers want to tax soda pop, sugar cereal, and fast food – as they’re unhealthy and those taxes should be used to pay for part of Socialized Healthcare. There is a National sales tax being proposed, not to replace the income tax – but in addition to it — to pay for healthcare.

Today, Obama lectured us about spending too much — and tells us that we cannot sustain these kinds of deficits. I about fell off my chair when I saw the video. It is he that gave $150Billion to the International Monetary Fund, hundreds of Billions to banks and brokerage firms, and better than a Trillion dollars for a Stimulus package of "Shovel Ready" projects for Unions? Isn't it he that spent close to a half million for Air Force One to fly over New York for a photo op? Who is pushing Socialized Health Care? Folks, this is the set up for the justification for the even more outrageous taxes we are about to get nailed with. Can you think any other reason we'd get this lecture after all of that money was spent? During WWII — the top tax rate was 100%. Yes, all income above a certain amount was 100% taxed. Get ready for this shoe to drop.

Toward the end of WWII, the German people realized that they had lost people who Hitler considered enemies – and realized it was now too late for them to keep their rights too. Ultimately, people losing their rights included the people who put Hitler in office. They never thought it could happen to them.

So when will you realize you and your state is losing your rights? Now or later?

It is time to throw the bums out now!

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