The Week in Review: Syria and Minimum Wage

The dominate stories in the news this week are Syria and a fast food worker strike.  Interestingly this is the first time I can recall that a group of non-union workers went on strike.  I know if I did this on my Job, I would not be working today. 

The situation in Syria all started when Obama made the following statement during a news conference, “We have been very clear to the Assad regime, but also to other players on the ground, that a red line for us is we start seeing a whole bunch of chemical weapons moving around or being utilized.”  (1)   One thing any good leader does is they never box themselves in by making statements that might come back and bite them in the, okay I will be nice, regret later. 

In making this unwise statement, Obama has boxed himself in and as Andrew Levine wrote in his August 27, 2013 article “It was plain even at the time that Obama had boxed himself in.  If that line is crossed and he does nothing about it, he will look indecisive and weak.  With elections (always) looming, a President, especially a Democratic one, cannot afford that.”  (2)  Let me get this straight.  We are going to bomb another country with cruise missiles, place other countries in the area at risk like Israel, Jordan , and Saudi Arabia so Obama can save face for a stupid statement he made at a press conference trying to look tough. 

Then to make matters worse, Russia has moved warships into the area (3) and threatens to bomb Saudi Arabia if we attack Syria, which would present a major threat to the world’s petroleum supplies and cause a spike in oil prices globally.  (4)  If my count is correct, and there may be more players involved by the time you read this, we now have the United States, Syria, Russia, and Saudi Arabia all because of a statement made by our President. 

What is going on in Syria today is a civil war.  It is tragic that the government of Syria allegedly gassed their own people, something that has not been definitively proven, but our involvement will only serve to take a civil war and turn it into a potential world war.  This demonstrates why world leaders need to think before they speak. 

Then we have the issue of fast food workers going on strike.  (5)  These workers are not even members of a union so for them to go on strike meant risking their jobs.  Their reason for striking was to ask for an increase in the minimum wage from $7.25 per hour to $15.00.  I assume they must be serious about this issue for them to risk their jobs but I believe there is an underlying issue here that is even more serious

The amount of pay one receives at their job constitutes a contractual agreement between their employer and them.  Usually this may not be in writing but is a verbal agreement, however, once someone cashes, or has their paycheck direct deposited, they in essence have agreed to the terms of the contract.  Many forces, which include market forces, the skill level of the employee, determine how an employer determines the amount of pay they pay someone and of course they cannot pay less than the minimum wage determined by law. 

These employees were striking wanting an increase in the minimum wage but instead of protesting in Washington DC or their state capital, they were protesting their employers who were in obedience with the law by paying the legal minimum wage.  In fact, the average wage for a fast food worker at McDonalds is actually from $7.69 to $10.89 per hour, (5) or more than the legal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour. 

I believe, however, that there is a deeper underlying problem behind this strike.  First, a job working at a fast food restaurant is not to be ones lifelong career.  During my senior year of High School and my first two years of college, I worked at a fast food restaurant.  I did have aspirations of going into management of a restaurant but when that did not materialize upon my graduation, I moved on and began my career in accounting. 

Listening to some of these protesters, I realized that they believe this is their lifelong career and feel the company needs to pay them a living wage upon which they can raise and support a family.  However, maybe we cannot blame them for as we look at the current job market with 90 million people not in the labor force and a labor participation rate that is at 1979 levels.  (6)   Then these people face the very real possibility that 11 million illegal immigrants will be competing for their jobs in the future (5)  so part of me does not blame them for being upset. 

When I worked in fast food I always had a hope that there was something better for me out there in the future.  Unfortunately, our current no growth economic policies have taken away that hope, leaving these people to believe their current fast food job is their lot in life.  They believe their only hope of ever having a better life is in having the government mandate that their employer pay them more than double. 

This is another example of how liberal progressive economic policies are destroying our country, especially the youth of our nation.  Even college graduates face the very real possibility they will not be able to utilize the skills they learned in college.  What we need is leaders that will institute economic policies that make it possible for people to achieve their dreams.  It is sad that we have made working at a fast food restaurant the only possibility someone has to support his or her family. 

Our nation was built on people who had a dream of a better life and a government that protected their freedom to achieve that dream.  We do not need an increase in the minimum wage, we need a smaller government that promotes economic growth so people can move on from a fast food job and into a well-paying career.  We need to elect conservatives to Congress and the White House who will institute the pro-growth free-market economic policies that made our nation great.

1. Good, Chris. President Obama’s ‘Red Line’: What He Actually Said About Syria and Chemical Weapons. abcnews.go.com. [Online] ABC News, August 26, 2013. [Cited: August 30, 2013.] http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/politics/2013/08/president-obamas-red-line-what-he-actually-said-about-syria-and-chemical-weapons/.

2. Levine, Andrew. Obama’s Fateful Line in the Sand. www.counterpunch.org. [Online] Counterpunch, August 27, 2013. [Cited: August 30, 2013.] http://www.counterpunch.org/2013/08/27/obamas-fateful-line-in-the-sand/.

3. AFP. RUSSIA SENDING WARSHIPS TO THE MEDITERRANEAN. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, August 29, 2013. [Cited: August 30, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Peace/2013/08/29/Russia-sending-warships-to-the-Mediterranean--report.

4. EU times. Putin Orders Massive Strike Against Saudi Arabia if West Attacks Syria. www.eutimes.net. [Online] EU Times, August 27, 2013. [Cited: August 30, 2013.] http://www.eutimes.net/2013/08/putin-orders-massive-strike-against-saudi-arabia-if-west-attacks-syria/.

5. Flynn, Mike. FAST FOOD 'STRIKES' SHOW ECONOMIC FOLLY OF AMNESTY. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, August 30, 2013. [Cited: August 31, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/08/30/Fast-Food-Strikes-Show-Economic-Folly-of-Amnesty.

6. Durden, Tyler. People Not In Labor Force Soar By 663,000 To 90 Million, Labor Force Participation Rate At 1979 Levels. www.zerohedge.com. [Online] Zerohedge, April 5, 2013. [Cited: August 31, 2013.] People Not In Labor Force Soar By 663,000 To 90 Million, Labor Force Participation Rate At 1979 Levels.

A Solid Foundation for Rebuilding the Republican Party

On July 4, 1776, the founders of our nation published the Declaration of Independence.  This document established the foundation upon which our nation would win its independence and establish its constitution.  In the preamble to the declaration we see these words, “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, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed”  (1)  Our nation’s founding fathers envisioned a nation built upon the foundation of God given rights and that it was the role of government to protect these rights. 

As the Republican Party seeks to get back to its winning ways, I want to propose building upon the same foundation the founders of our nation believed in.  The Republican Party must become the party dedicated to the protection of its citizen’s right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.  However, we must take a moment to look at each of these rights and determine what they entail so the government can formulate policies designed to protect them and not over step its boundaries.

Live is important to all of us.  We take care of ourselves in order to lengthen, improve, and preserve our quality of life.  The government’s role in protecting the right to life involves protecting the citizenry of the nation from attacks both foreign and domestic.  On the Federal level, this involves formation of a military with the duty of protecting our nation’s foreign borders from outside attacks.  In the last 100 years our nation has been attacked twice from outside.  Once in the attack on Pearl Harbor by the Japanese on December 7, 1942 and the second time on September 11, 2001 in the terrorist attacks on New York, Washington DC, and Pennsylvania.  

The day after the attack on Pearl Harbor President Roosevelt promptly petitioned Congress to pass a declaration of war, which they swiftly did.  This was done out of concern that left unchecked, Japan might attack the west coast of our country and Germany might attack the east coast.  This is what our founding fathers envisioned would be the role of the military.

After September 11, President Bush petitioned Congress to pass a continuing resolution authorizing the funding of a war on terror to protect our nation from additional terrorist attacks.  There has been a great deal of debate since then as to whether a continuing resolution constitutes a declaration of war like Roosevelt called for after Pearl Harbor.  In both cases the nation was attacked from outside forces.  In both cases innocent Americans lost their lives.  I believe the semantics of the terminology here are not what is important.  What is important is that our federal government performed its duty of protecting the right to life of American citizens by using the military to go after those that attacked our nation. 

The founders also envisioned a government that would protect each citizen’s right to liberty.  They believed that God gave each individual certain talents and abilities and that society functioned best when each individual was free to pursue their individual dreams and goals using their God given talents.  However, they also understood that one individuals liberty ends when it threatens the liberty of another so I do not have the liberty to murder someone or steal their property for that would deprive them of their right to life and pursuit of happiness by owning property. 

Finally, the founders envisioned a government that would protect each individual’s right to pursue happiness.  This does not mean that everyone has any guarantee of happiness but that everyone is free to pursue whatever makes him or her happy.  The founders knew that everyone has dreams and goals for their life.  As long as these dreams and goals do not harm another person or are against the law, they should be free to do whatever is necessary to achieve their goals and make their dreams come true. 

Unfortunately, our government has strayed far from the foundation our founders envisioned for the nation.  Instead of protecting each citizen’s right to life by protecting citizens, our borders are wide open making it possible for millions to enter our country illegally.  Even though most of those crossing the border come here seeking a better life, drug dealers, human traffickers, and potential terrorists are also crossing the unprotected borders and represent a threat to us all.  Our cities are becoming war zones where the big news is how many murders occurred during the weekend.  We murder the unborn for convenience while letting murders on death row live.

Instead of protecting the liberties of citizens, our Congress passes legislation like Obamacare forcing citizens to purchase health insurance they do not want or do not need to purchase.  Then the forth unconstitutional branch of the government, the administrative branch, forces onerous regulations on the citizens that regulate the type of car they drive, their appliances, and even the amount of water in their toilets. 

Instead of protecting the right to pursue happiness, the government is right there with their hand out demanding more of an individual’s hard-earned money when they succeed in accomplishing their dreams and goals.  Is it any wonder companies are outsourcing and even moving their operations out of the country? 

The Republican Party can make great progress towards rebuilding itself by standing on the foundation our founders outlined in the Declaration of Independence.  The party is looking for a big tent so I recommend that instead of seeking a big tent from independents and a pathway to citizenship, try appealing to the God given right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness that is inherent in every one of us.   

Next Wednesday we will begin building on this foundation by looking at what the Republican Party can do to restore the right to life progressives and liberals have little by little taken away from the citizens of our nation. 

1. Hillsdale College. The Declaration of Independance. The U.S. Constitution: A reader. Hillsdale Michigan : Hillsdale College Press, 2012.

Recovery!! You Call This a Recovery?

Every time Obama or someone in the administration opens their mouth to speak about the economy, they remind us of how robust this recovery is.  These supposedly highly educated people have no idea what constitutes an economic recovery.  They may be highly educated in book knowledge and theory, but when it comes to street knowledge and how things really work for people in their everyday lives, they don’t have a clue. 

Last night my wife and I went to the grocery store to pick up a few things.  One of the things we went to pick up was a 5-pound sack of potatoes costing $3.29.  Not too long ago the price of the same sack of potatoes was $1.99 and they were often on sale for $.99 at the same store.  If you have visited a fast food restaurant lately you may have discovered that it is next to impossible to get a burger fries and a drink for under $5.  The price of gas of course is something we deal with every time we visit the pump.  How many of us remember the days during the Clinton Administration when gas was under $2 per gallon.  Those days seem like ancient history don’t they? 

These price increases would be bearable if wages were keeping pace with the price increases but according to new estimates from the Census Bureau’s Current Population Survey, wages are not increasing but are actually decreasing twice as much as they were during the recession.  (1)  Perhaps some of the reason for this is the moving of employees from full-time to part-time.  Just this week in a leaked memo it was discovered that yet another company, forever 21, intents to move several employees from full-time status to part-time.  (2)  Forever 21 is not an isolated case for many companies have announced their intention to do the same thing to avoid Obamacare. 

Forever 21 did come back and announce that the move was not related to Obamacare (3)  claiming instead that their staffing decisions are based on the volume of business in their stores.  Even if this is the only reason for their decision, it still illustrates that Forever 21 is not having the same volume of business as it previously did.  In other words, Forever 21 does not seem to be experiencing any economic recovery and neither are their employees who face a reduction in hours from 40 to 29.5 hours. 

Using street knowledge and common sense, we must ask the simple question.  How are people facing a cut in their hours and increasing prices at the restaurant, grocery store, and higher gas prices supposed to survive on a 25 percent cut in their pay?  It would be interesting to see how some Harvard educated professor would attempt to answer that question.  Perhaps he or she would tell that person that they need to learn to get by on less.  Perhaps he or she would tell them that they are caught up in greed. 

Come on, I don’t know for sure but I suspect the people working at forever 21 make just over minimum wage so how can anyone claim that they are somehow greedy.  I suspect that many of these employees may be among the many recent college graduates who are experiencing difficulty finding employment where they can utilize their education.  I suspect that many of these employees are working there until they can find work where they can use their new skills. 

This is not a recovery in any stretch of the imagination.  For this administration to claim this is a recovery is a slap in the face of Americans that go to work every day trying to provide for their families who are finding that difficult when the prices of their basic necessities are increasing while their hours and wages are being cut. 

Every American has dreams of a better life.  Recent college graduates did not just go to college to fill time, they went there and graduated dreaming of a better life.  They did not go there dreaming of a minimum wage job of less than 30 hours.  They dreamed of becoming doctors, lawyers, accountants, IT professionals, and leaders in business and community.  However, upon graduation they discovered that they were entering an economy that according to Forbes magazine is marked by

• Real economic growth during the recovery – now three years old – has averaged 2.2%, less than half of the historic average for post-recession rebounds.
• There are 1.1 million fewer people on non-farm payrolls today than when President Obama took office.
• The unemployment rate has been above 8% for 42 consecutive months, the longest period of sustained high unemployment since the Great Depression.  (4)

Granted the numbers from Forbes are a year old but there has not been much improvement since then.  In fact, in numbers released by the Bureau of Economic Analysis the average economic growth under Obama is only averaging 1 percent.  (5)  Is it any wonder there is so much economic pessimism? 

What our nation needs is leaders that will promise to get government out of the way and allow people to pursue their individual dreams.  Consider this a call for the dreamers out there, and I’m not talking about only those born here of immigrant parents, but those seeking a better life, to step up and begin speaking out.  Both political parties are seeking to reach out to a greater percentage of voters in each election.  I want to advise prospective candidates in the next elections to promise less government intrusion into the lives of individuals so they are free to pursue their dreams.  I believe this is what people want and not the promise of free healthcare and government handouts. 

This is especially true of the Republican Party that has lost its winning ways in presidential elections.  I propose we try running a candidate that appeals to the dreams of each individual in our nation by promising them more freedom to pursue their dreams.  I believe this is a winning formula and will cross party and generational lines and cause our country to experience real economic growth where people see their incomes increasing and prices going down.  It will cause the pessimism we are currently experiencing to change to optimism.  So join me in supporting candidates for office that promise to empower each of us to pursue and achieve our dreams.    

1. Anderson, Jeffery H. Incomes Have Dropped Twice as Much During the 'Recovery' as During the Recession. m.weeklystandard.com. [Online] The Weekly Standard, August 23, 2013. [Cited: August 24, 2013.] http://m.weeklystandard.com/blogs/incomes-have-dropped-twice-much-during-recovery-during-recession_750068.html.

2. McGregor, Jena. Forever 21′s leaked memo: Faith at work? www.washingtonpost.com. [Online] The Washington Post, August 19, 2013. [Cited: August 24, 2013.] http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/on-leadership/wp/2013/08/19/forever-21s-leaked-memo-faith-at-work/.

3. CBS Los Angeles. Forever 21 Denies Cutting Employees’ Hours Due To Obamacare. losangeles.cbslocal.com. [Online] KNX10.70 Newradio, August 19, 2013. [Cited: August 24, 2013.] http://losangeles.cbslocal.com/2013/08/19/forever-21-denies-cutting-employees-hours-due-to-obamacare/.

4. Kadlec, Charles. President Obama's Smashing Success Story: Greatly Increasing The Power Of Government. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes , August 13, 2012. [Cited: August 24, 2013.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/charleskadlec/2012/08/13/president-obamas-smashing-success-story-greatly-increasing-the-power-of-government/.

5. Jeffrey, Terence P. 1%: Average Annual Economic Growth Under Obama. chsnews.com. [Online] CNS News, July 31, 2013. [Cited: August 24, 2013.] http://cnsnews.com/news/article/1-average-annual-economic-growth-under-obama.

Rebuilding the Republican Party: SWAT Analysis

As we discussed last Wednesday, the Republican Party is in trouble and risks alienating its base.  The party that was able to win two landslide presidential elections in the 1980’s has only been able to win two of the last seven popular votes in presidential elections.  (1)  In the 2008 and 2012 presidential elections, Barack Obama was able to win election partly because of the inability of the Republican Party to select a nominee that excited the base.  In 2012, analysts estimate that approximately 6.6 million white voters stayed home.  (2)  Many of these voters were part of the Republican base that would have propelled Romney to victory had they shown up to vote. 

One tool used buy organizations that find themselves in trouble is something called a SWOT analysis.  SWOT stands for strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats and is an excellent way for an organization to focus in on the areas it is strong in and work on areas of weakness.  (3)   In this posting, I am going to conduct a SWOT analysis of the Republican Party in order to determine the party’s strengths and reveal weaknesses that the Party needs to work on.  We can then take this analysis and develop a plan for the Party that plays to the strengths of the party while addressing the Party’s weaknesses. 

Strengths:

The Republican Party is down but not out.  After the 2008 election, many thought that the Republican Party was finished for many years.  (4)  Then the issue of Obamacare came up.  The Republican base silent in 2008 awakened and formed the Tea Party movement.  (5)   The Tea Party is not a political party but was a movement that sprang up out of the base of the Republican Party.

This movement, angered at how Obamacare was being crammed down the throats of the citizens of the United States, was able to wrestle control of the House away from Democrats and end the super majority enjoyed by the Senate.  (6)  The Republican Party thought to be finished after the 2008 election had new life but the momentum from 2010 did not carry over to the 2012 presidential election revealing some inherent weaknesses in the Party. 

Weaknesses:

Unfortunately, the Republican establishment works by the 40-40-20 rule (7)  and believes its base is solid and not going anywhere.  Because of this belief, the party leadership has adopted a strategy of attempting to return to its winning ways by going after a majority of the 20 percent of independents and capturing more of the minority vote.  The 2012 presidential election results exposed the fallacy of this strategy because Mitt Romney took the independent vote and still lost the election.  (8)

The weakness in the Republican Party lies in the fact that the base is not solid.  The fact that over 6 million white voters stayed home in 2012 (2)  is proof of the deterioration of the party base.  The party must adopt a strategy that shores up the base. 

Opportunities:

According to a poll by Politico on 9/26/2011, 81 percent of those polled are unhappy with government.  (9)  In fact, Obama used this dissatisfaction to his advantage in 2008 running on a campaign promising hope and change.  However, Obama’s vision of change has not improved the popularity of government, as evidenced by the 2011 politico poll, but has actually made the situation worse.  What this means for the Republican Party is they have an opportunity to run on real change.  The Republican Party can run a campaign promising less government intrusion in people’s lives.  They can promise to reduce the size and scope of government so people have the freedom to pursue their own dreams and goals. 

Last week the movie Jobs, a biography of the life of Steve Jobs, came out.  Steve Jobs was a visionary entrepreneur who started with a dream of making computers easier for people to use.  He was able to make that dream a reality through hard work and persistence.  Most of us would like to become the next Steve Jobs and some of you reading this might possibly be the next great business entrepreneur but for that to occur, we need to make the government smaller and less intrusive in our lives.  The Republican Party has an opportunity to appeal to the entrepreneurial spirit by running on a platform promising smaller government.  The good news is that this entrepreneurial spirit exists in all races and genders of people in our country and even crosses party lines. 

Threats:

The biggest threat to the Republican Party is that the leadership continues believe the base is solid and focuses its attention on having a big tent welcoming in more minorities.  As they do this many from the base are leaving the tent.  Even John McCain admitted that the path to citizenship in the recently passed Senate immigration legislation would not result in more vote for Republicans.  (10)  In other words, immigrants may come into the Republican big tent but they are only visiting while the permanent residents of the tent are leaving.  The Republican big tent is getting pretty lonely. 

The Republican Party also needs to stop the open primary process.  The purpose of presidential primaries is for each party to nominate their candidate.  Open primaries make it possible for voters from the opposition party to vote for a candidate that their nominee can defeat in the general election.  In 2008, Rush Limbaugh launched “Operation Chaos” on his radio program and was able to extend the Democrat primary process.  (11)  Let’s let the base in the Republican Party pick the candidate they can get excited about, watch the absent voters from 2012 return, and bring a victory in 2016.

In next Wednesday’s, post I will begin presenting a plan for victory in 2014 and 2016 based on this analysis.  I encourage everyone to add a comment to this post with their ideas but most of all I encourage everyone to keep their head up and not lose hope.  We thought the Republican Party was dead in 2008 and yet in two short years we had a great victory in the mid-terms.  We lost momentum in 2012 but I believe we have an opportunity to regain that momentum in 2014 and carry it forward in to 2016. 

1. ProCon.org. Presidential Election History from 1789 to 2008. 2008election.procon.org. [Online] [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://2008election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=001565.

2. Trende, Sean. The Case of the Missing White Voters. www.realcleapolitics.com. [Online] Real Clear Politics, November 8, 2012. [Cited: July 5, 2013.] http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/11/08/the_case_of_the_missing_white_voters_116106-2.html.

3. Management Study Guide. SWOT Analysis. www.managementstudyguide.com. [Online] Management Study Guide. [Cited: August 20, 2013.] http://www.managementstudyguide.com/swot-analysis.htm.

4. Carville, James. 40 More Years: How the Democrats Will Rule the Next Generation. www.alternet.org. [Online] Alternet, May 1, 2009. [Cited: August 20, 2013.] http://www.alternet.org/story/138321/40_more_years%3A_how_the_democrats_will_rule_the_next_generation.

5. Mellon, Donald. The Tea Party Movement. www.teaparty911.com. [Online] Tea Party 911, October 9, 2012. [Cited: August 20, 2013.] http://www.teaparty911.com/tea_party_movement.htm.

6. Jonsson, Patrik. How the tea party helped GOP find a path to Election Day successes. www.csmonitor.com. [Online] The Christian Science Monitor, November 2, 2010. [Cited: August 2013, 2013.] http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/Elections/Tea-Party-Tally/2010/1102/How-the-tea-party-helped-GOP-find-a-path-to-Election-Day-successes.

7. The Erstwhile Conservative. The 40-40-20 Rule. duanegraham.wordpress.com. [Online] The Erstwhile Conservative. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://duanegraham.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/the-40-40-20-rule/.

8. Logiurato, Brett. Why Winning The Independent Vote Can Actually Be A Bad Thing. www.businessinsider.com. [Online] Business Insider, November 12, 2012. [Cited: August 20, 2013.] http://www.businessinsider.com/obama-romney-independent-vote-polls-moderates-election-2012-11.

9. Mak, Tim. Poll: 81% unhappy with government. www.politico.com. [Online] Politico, September 26, 2011. [Cited: August 20, 2013.] http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0911/64390.html.

10. Lee, Tony. MCCAIN CONCEDES IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL WON'T GAIN GOP 'A SINGLE HISPANIC VOTER'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 31, 2013. [Cited: August 17, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/07/31/McCain-Concedes-Immigration-Reform-Bill-Won-t-Gain-GOP-a-Single-Hispanic-Voter.

11. The Huffington Post. Rush Limbaugh: 'Operation Chaos' A Success In Extending Nomination. www.huffingtonpost.com. [Online] The Huffington Post, July 29, 2008. [Cited: August 20, 2013.] http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/05/06/rush-limbaugh-operation-c_n_100485.html.

Rodeo Clowns and Swiss Retail Clerks are Destroying Our Nation:

It seems that this week in Missouri a grand plan to destroy this nation by bringing down President Obama was revealed.  When a rodeo clown put on an Obama mask and the announcer asked the crowd if they wanted to see Obama run over by a bull, (1)  he was prematurely revealing a plan by racist rodeo clowns to lure Obama to a State Fair Rodeo and have a bull run him over.  Fortunately, for the President this plan was prematurely revealed and now there are calls for a full investigation by the Attorney General and the Secret Service to determine the extent of this plan.  (2)

The Main Stream (aka Lame Stream) Media has completely blown this incident out of proportion.  Our nation has a history since 1960 of making presidential masks.  (3)  Comedians often put on these masks as part of their comedy routine.  Quite often these comedians actually support the candidate they are mocking.  In this instance, a rodeo clown used an Obama mask as part of his routine and I do not believe he had any racist intentions.  It appears to me that we have totally lost our ability as a nation to laugh at ourselves and have a good time.  In fact, rodeo clowns using presidential masks is not uncommon as we see in the following account from 1994

The big white gate flew open. The bull came out bucking. The rider flopped from side to side and the bullfighters held back, letting the bull make his moves until the rider dropped off. Licciardello crouched in a heavily padded barrel, a human target should the bull decide to charge. Hawkins waited near the barrel, holding his big inner tube. A dummy with a George Bush mask stood beside the clown, propped up by a broomstick. [...]

T.J. Hawkins rolled out the big inner tube, and the bull lowered his head, shot forward and launched into the tube, sending it bounding down the center of the arena. The crowd cheered. Then the bull saw the George Bush dummy. He tore into it, sending the rubber mask flying halfway across the sand as he turned toward the fence, sending cowboys scrambling up the fence rails, hooking one with his horn and tossing him off the fence.  (4)

Then we have the Oprah story.  You know the story where Oprah goes into a shop in Switzerland and is treated rudely by a retail clerk.  The cries of racism and even size bias were heard throughout the media.  (5) It is interesting to note however that when a similar situation happened to another celebrity, regarding being kicked out of the hotel lobby of the hotel he was staying in, no cries of racism or bias were heard. 

I am talking about the situation involving Jase Robertson of Duck Dynasty who was recently thrown out of the hotel lobby of the hotel he was staying in by an employee that mistook him as a homeless man.  (6)  Jase simply laughed off the situation claiming he was “facially profiled.”  At least Jase has not lost his sense of humor and can still laugh at things without having to make some political statement about how he was the victim of some great plot designed to take away his liberties. 

So why has the media created such a big uproar over the incident s of the rodeo clown and Oprah?  I believe that the media is attempting to distract us from some serious issues that are coming up when congress reconvenes after their August recess. 

The media is attempting to distract us from the fact that the government will be running out of money on October 1 and that the government will have to shut down unless they pass a continuing resolution.  Of course, if they would just pass a budget we would not have to continually pass these continuing resolutions but that is the topic of another post.  However, this continuing resolution does provide an opportunity for conservatives to delay the implementation of Obamacare.  (7)

The main entitlements of Obamacare are scheduled to take effect on January 1, 2014.  It is estimated by the Congressional Budget Office that the cost of these entitlements will be $48 billion in 2014 and grow to nearly $1.8 trillion through 2023.  (7)  In addition, President Obama by executive order has delayed implementation of the employer mandate until 2015.  Some believe that with the delay in the mandate until 2015 coupled with the rollout of the exchanges in 2014 will cause many more people to enroll in the exchanges.  These exchanges are proving to be quite costly, and the states will incur the cost of these exchanges.  In essence, we will only be shifting deficits from the federal budget to the states.  (8)  If politicians on both sides of the aisle are truly interested in reducing the deficits, defunding the legislation is the only viable option at this time.   

The media is also attempting to distract us from the pending fight in the House over the recently passed immigration reform/amnesty bill passed in the Senate.  (9)  Both Republicans and Democrats like this legislation because it creates a path to citizenship for those in our country illegally and believe they will be able to register these new citizens to vote with their party.  (10)  However, the truth is that these new citizens are more likely to register Democrat then Republican, a fact Senator John McCain, one of the supporters of the Senate Bill, conceded recently.  (11)  Passing this legislation will result in Democrat Majorities in the House and Senate for many years as well as insuring Democrat Presidential victories. 

As political avengers, we must not allow ourselves to be distracted by side issues such as a rodeo clown wearing an Obama mask or alleged racism against Oprah Winfrey by a Swiss retail clerk.  We must keep our eye on the ball for the future of our nation is at stake. 

In closing, I would like to promote a book that was released this week.  Mark Levin, The Great One as Rush Limbaugh calls him, released his recent book “The Liberty Amendments” this week.  The book is actually the third in the series that includes “Liberty and Tyranny” and “Ameritopia.”  Even though I have not had an opportunity to read the latest book, I have read the previous two books in the series. 

The first two books lay out the case for the belief that we are currently living in a post-constitutional America.  In this third book, Mark Levin lays out a plan of action to save our Constitution by actually using a clause in article 5 of the Constitution.  In essence, he outlines a plan to save the constitution by using it.  The book has surged to number one on Amazon, and is causing quite a stir from both Democrats and Republicans. 

From what I have heard from those that have read the book, the plan bypasses the apparatus in Washington DC and uses state legislatures to propose amendments to the Constitution.  The book proposes several amendments designed to stop the slide towards tyranny and statism that our country is currently on and protect us from going down that direction in the future. 

I am providing a link on the right top portion of this blog so you can join me in purchasing this book and working towards using our Constitution to save our Constitution. 

1. Wingerter, Justin. Clown Banned, Announcer Resigns After State Fair Rodeo. stlouis.cbslocal.com. [Online] CBS St. Louis, August 12, 2013. [Cited: August 15, 2013.] http://stlouis.cbslocal.com/2013/08/12/clown-banned-announcer-resigns-after-state-fair-rodeo/.

2. Breitbart News. NAACP: DOJ, SECRET SERVICE SHOULD INVESTIGATE RODEO CLOWN. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, August 13, 2013. [Cited: August 15, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/08/13/Missouri-NAACP-rodeo-clown.

3. Green, Amanda. A Brief History of Political Halloween Masks (and What They Tell Us About the Election). mentalfloss.com. [Online] Mental Floss, October 24, 2012. [Cited: August 15, 2013.] http://mentalfloss.com/article/12859/brief-history-political-halloween-masks-and-what-they-tell-us-about-election.

4. Christopher, Tommy. You Would Not Believe How Common Rodeo Clown Mockery of Presidents Is. www.mediaite.com. [Online] Mediaite, August 14, 2013. [Cited: August 15, 2013.] http://www.mediaite.com/online/you-would-not-believe-how-common-rodeo-clown-mockery-of-presidents-is/.

5. Moore, Heidi. Oprah faced not just fashion retail racism, but size bias too. www.theguardian.com. [Online] The Guardian, August 9, 2013. [Cited: August 17, 2013.] http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2013/aug/09/oprah-fashion-retail-racism-size-bias.

6. Houston, CBS. NYC Hotel Kicks Out ‘Duck Dynasty’ Star After Confusing Him For Homeless Man. houstoncbslocal.com. [Online] CBS, August 15, 2013. [Cited: August 17, 2013.] http://houston.cbslocal.com/2013/08/15/nyc-hotel-kicks-out-duck-dynasty-star-after-confusing-him-for-homeless-man/.

7. Erickson, Erick. Defunding Obamacare: Questions & Answers, Excuses & Responses. www.redstate.com. [Online] Red State, July 29, 2013. [Cited: August 17, 2013.] http://www.redstate.com/2013/07/29/defunding-obamacare-questions-answers-excuses-responses/.

8. Roy, Avik. White House To Delay Obamacare's Employer Mandate Until 2015; Far-Reaching Implications For The Private Health Insurance Market. www.forbes.com. [Online] Forbes, July 2, 2013. [Cited: August 17, 2013.] http://www.forbes.com/sites/theapothecary/2013/07/02/white-house-to-delay-obamacares-employer-mandate-until-2015-far-reaching-implications-for-the-private-health-insurance-market/.

9. Boyle, Matthew. SENATE PASSES AMNESTY BY VOTE OF 68-32, HOUSE REPUBLICANS EXPRESS 'CONCERNS'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, June 27, 2013. [Cited: June 28, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/06/27/Senate-passes-amnesty-68-32.

10. McKay, Tom. 2013 Immigration Reform: Republicans And Democrats Both Want a Path to Citizenship. www.policymic.com. [Online] Policymic, February 2013. [Cited: July 5, 2013.] http://www.policymic.com/articles/24317/2013-immigration-reform-republicans-and-democrats-both-want-a-path-to-citizenship.

11. Lee, Tony. MCCAIN CONCEDES IMMIGRATION REFORM BILL WON'T GAIN GOP 'A SINGLE HISPANIC VOTER'. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 31, 2013. [Cited: August 17, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/07/31/McCain-Concedes-Immigration-Reform-Bill-Won-t-Gain-GOP-a-Single-Hispanic-Voter.

Time For Some Electoral Math:

After the devastation of Watergate, the Republican Party found itself in a crisis, which became evident with the loss of Gerald Ford in the 1976 election.  (1)  Under the Presidency of Jimmy Carter, the nation’s economy fell into a deep recession resulting in high interest rates, double-digit unemployment, and double-digit inflation.  (2)  The nation was also in a protracted hostage situation in Iran.  (3)  This resulted in the American people turning Carter out office and electing Ronald Reagan.  (4)

Reagan won election promising smaller government, lower taxes, and a strong national defense.  The nation weary from the Watergate Scandal, tired of the failed economic policies of the Carter Administration, and seeing the inability of our nation to respond to the taking of hostages in Iran, elected Regan to office in a landslide.  The nation hoped that his policies would turn the nation around and get the U.S. back to the position of greatness it once possessed.  (5)

Since the two landslide victories of Reagan, there have been seven presidential elections.  Of those seven elections, the Republicans have only managed to win 2 popular votes and 3 electoral victories.  (6)  What happened that caused the dominate Republican Party to be unable to win in presidential elections?

The answer lies in what consultants typically tell candidates running for office.  Most political consultants work by the 40-40-20 rule.  This rule states in every election there are 40 percent of the electorate that will vote Democrat and 40 percent of the electorate that will vote Republican no matter what.  (7)  The remaining 20 percent or swing voters are what the candidates spend most of their time and money trying to win over to their side.  In the 2012 election, Mitt Romney did an excellent job of winning over this 20 percent by winning a majority of the independent vote.  However, Mitt Romney lost both the popular and electoral votes.  Therefore, we must ask what went wrong. 

The answer lies in who stayed home in 2012.  According to the table below, all demographics had increases in 2012 except for white voters. 

 (8)

There is a fallacy in the 40-40-20 rule.  The fallacy lies in the assumption that 40 percent of the electorate will vote Republican no matter what.  The truth is that this assumption breaks down if many of the 40 percent stay home.  The electoral math reveals that the Republican Party needs to do a better job of shoring up and turning out its 40% in presidential elections. 

Unfortunately, the current debate over immigration reform reveals that the Republican Party leadership does not get it.  They support a path to citizenship for those here illegally believing they will be able to convince them to register and vote republican.  (9)  We have been down this road before and what happened was more Hispanic Democrat voters. 

Many believed that when Ronald Reagan signed the amnesty bill, Hispanics would vote Republican out of gratitude for the amnesty given to them by the legislation.  The table below however, tells a different story. 

--1980 Jimmy Carter, 56% Ronald Reagan, 35% +21
--1984 Walter Mondale, 61% Ronald Reagan, 37% +24
--1988 Michael Dukakis, 69% George H.W. Bush, 30% +39
--1992 Bill Clinton, 61% George H.W. Bush, 25% +36
--1996 Bill Clinton, 72% Bob Dole, 21% +51
--2000 Al Gore, 62% George W. Bush, 35% +27
--2004 John Kerry, 58% George W. Bush, 40% +18
--2008 Barack Obama, 67% John McCain, 31% +36
--2012 Barack Obama, 71% Mitt Romney, 27% +44  (10)

The highest percentage of the Hispanic vote any republican has been able to win since Regan signed the amnesty bill is 40 percent by President George W. Bush in 2004, which still represented an 18-percentage point loss to Democrat John Kerry.  These numbers tell an entirely different story then the one the Republican Leadership is trying to feed us. 

In order for Republicans to begin winning presidential elections, they need a different strategy that will get the 6.6 million white voters that stayed home in 2012 back out to the polls to vote for the Republican candidate.  In each Wednesdays post over the next several weeks I will be outlining what I believe the Republican Party needs to do to get back to its winning ways.  I encourage each of you to add your comments to the postings and share the link with your friends.  I am also going to email the party leader in my state and urge everyone to do the same in their own state.  I found my State party leadership by typing in the search term RNC Arizona to get the contact information for my local Republican leadership. 

I will also emailing the national leadership and urge everyone to do the same.  Use the following link to email the national RNC.  http://www.gop.com/contact-us/ . 

Let’s get in their face and remind them that their plans for rebuilding the Republican Party are suicide plans.  The party is losing because it is losing its base.  We have a plan that will energize the base and restore the party back to the glory days of the 1980’s.  If the current leadership fails to ignore the base, we need leadership that will listen.  Otherwise, the Republican Party is destined to go the way of the Wig Party. 

1. Authentic History. the 1976 Presidential Election. www.authentichistory.com. [Online] AHC. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://www.authentichistory.com/1974-1992/1-ford/4-1976election/.

2. On The Issues. Jimmy Carter on Budget & Economy. www.ontheissues.org. [Online] On The Issues. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://www.ontheissues.org/Celeb/Jimmy_Carter_Budget_&_Economy.htm.

3. Sick, Gary. The Carter Administration. iranprimer.usip.org. [Online] United States Institute of Peace. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://iranprimer.usip.org/resource/carter-administration-0.

4. home, BBC. 1980: Reagan Beats Carter in Landslide. news.bbc.co.uk. [Online] BBC, November 4, 1980. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/november/4/newsid_3192000/3192279.stm.

5. Republican Party. The Republican Party Platform of 1980. www.presidency.ucsb.edu. [Online] The American Presidency Project, July 15, 1980. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=25844.

6. ProCon.org. Presidential Election History from 1789 to 2008. 2008election.procon.org. [Online] [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://2008election.procon.org/view.resource.php?resourceID=001565.

7. The Erstwhile Conservative. The 40-40-20 Rule. duanegraham.wordpress.com. [Online] The Erstwhile Conservative. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://duanegraham.wordpress.com/2010/11/06/the-40-40-20-rule/.

8. Trende, Sean. The Case of the Missing White Voters. www.realcleapolitics.com. [Online] Real Clear Politics, November 8, 2012. [Cited: July 5, 2013.] http://www.realclearpolitics.com/articles/2012/11/08/the_case_of_the_missing_white_voters_116106-2.html.

9. Lee, Tony. KARL ROVE, 100+ GOP DONORS SEND LETTER TO REPUBLICANS URGING IMMIGRATION REFORM. www.breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart News, July 30, 2013. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/07/30/Karl-Rove-100-Donors-Send-Letter-to-GOP-Members-of-Congress-Urging-Immigration-Reform.

10. Free Republic. The Hispanic Vote in Presidential Elections, 1980-2012. www.freerepublic.com. [Online] Free Republic, November 7, 2012. [Cited: August 13, 2013.] http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/2958571/posts.

Things to Remember as We Approach Negotiations for Another Spending Resolution.

This weekend I will be spending time at my church’s Men’s Advance.  We do not call it a Men’s Retreat because men do not retreat they advance.  I will be at the Lost Canyon Camp in Williams Arizona where I will essentially be off the grid with no Wi-Fi and spotty cell service so I have decided to run one of the more popular posts to this blog.

After Congress returns from its August recess, they will once again be debating a continuing spending resolution since they do not see the need of just passing a budget.  If you remember, we went through this same circus at the end of 2012 which resulted in the passage of the infamous sequester.  On January 1, 2013 I ran the posting titled “Happy New Year Cliff Survivors” and thought it would be appropriate since little has changed since the last spending resolution. 

Happy New Year Cliff Survivors.

It is January 1, 2013 and there is still no legislation preventing us from going over the “fiscal cliff.”  However, I am awake this morning and the world did not end.  So, just like the doom predicted on December 21 by the Myan Calendar, it appears the world did not end last night in some apocalyptic disaster but we are still in danger fiscally as a nation.

The Senate and White House did come up with a deal to prevent us from going over the “fiscal cliff” on New Year’s Eve and the Senate passed the legislation by an 89 to 8 vote (1).  Now this legislation goes to the House and if it passes there, it will go to the President’s desk for signature.  However, just because there is a deal does not mean we are out of fiscal trouble as a nation for we must look at what The Senate and White House negotiated in the deal.

The deal features spending cuts of $15 billion and tax increases of $620 billion (2) so it would appear that we would see a reduction of $635 billion in federal deficits.  However, we must understand what Washington means by a tax cut and ask ourselves if the tax rate increases actually result in increased revenues to the government.

The Federal Government uses “baseline budgeting” when determining its budget.  This method of budgeting assumes there will be increases in spending for necessary programs and automatically budgets in these increases.  If in the budgeting negotiations the Congress cuts the increases in spending for these programs, Congress considers it a cut (3).  This is why even though we constantly hear of budget cuts, the dollar amount of government spending continues to increase year after year.  This method of budgeting allows politicians to claim they are cutting spending while actually increasing it.  For this reason, we have to question whether the proposed spending cuts of $15 billion in this deal are actual cuts or just reductions in automatic increases. 

We also need to question whether the proposed increases in tax revenues due to tax increases in the rich will actually occur.  This $620 billion increase in tax revenues assumes that company profits and wages will remain the same and does not dynamically score the economic effect these tax increases will have on the economy. 

The deal proposes tax increases on those making more than $450,000 per year or the so-called rich.  To someone making less than $450,000 it may seem these people are rich but most of these people make this much because they are self-employed business owners.  These people do not just take the $450,000 plus in income and spend it on themselves but invest part of this money in business expansion.  These tax increases will most likely come out of money these business owners have set aside for expansion.  Without this expansion, we will see fewer jobs created. 

Some of these business owners may also cut back on their businesses in an effort to reduce net income below the $450,000 level so they are taxed at a lower rate.  This will result in lower tax revenues to the government and more layoffs.  Those laid off will no longer be earning a paycheck and will only pay taxes on their unemployment, which will mean additional reductions in tax revenues.  I therefore, doubt the predicted increases of $620 billion in tax revenues will actually occur.  For example, the tax increases in California resulted in a 33.5 percent decrease in tax revenues (4).

This deal does not prevent us from going over the fiscal cliff but only postpones the fall.  To avoid going over the cliff we need real cuts in spending and real increases in revenues into the Federal Government. 

We need to stop the practice of baseline budgeting.  Each department of the government needs to start the fiscal year at zero and petition the Congress for the funds they will need to operate for the coming fiscal year.  I also favor the offering of incentives to department heads that are able to increase the efficiency of their departments by reducing their operating budget from the previous year.  This is how the budgeting process occurs in the private sector.

We also need to quit punishing business owners who produce products, services, and create jobs for our economy.  If a business owner is making $450,000, we want him to make more so he can expand his business and create more jobs.  Since we tax the business’ net income, an increase in income for businesses will result in increased revenues even without an increase in the tax rate.  The business expansion will also create jobs taking people off the unemployment rolls.  These individuals will see an increase in their personal incomes and pay additional taxes as well.  Increasing the tax rate, as proposed in this deal, will only disincentify the business owner from expanding his or her businesses. 

We need leaders that will actually decrease spending, and not just reduce increases in spending.  We need leaders that will begin cutting taxes for the job creators of our country.  We can avoid going over the “fiscal cliff” but the currently proposed deal is not the way to do it. 

1. Pollak, Joel B. AFTER MIDNIGHT, IT'S A TAX CUT; SENATE PASSES 'CLIFF' DEAL, 89-8. breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart, January 1, 2013. [Cited: January 1, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2013/01/01/Senate-Passes-Fiscal-Cliff-Deal-89-8.

2. Boyle, Matthew. FISCAL CLIFF DEAL: $1 IN SPENDING CUTS FOR EVERY $41 IN TAX INCREASES. breitbart.com. [Online] Breitbart, December 31, 2012. [Cited: January 1, 2013.] http://www.breitbart.com/Big-Government/2012/12/31/Fiscal-cliff-deal-41-1-in-tax-increases-to-spending-cuts-ratio.

3. Limbaugh, Rush. Baseline Budgeting Explained. youtube.com. [Online] EIB Network, July 30, 2011. [Cited: January 1, 2013.] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QtU0pbRXfAI.

4. Before it's News. California’s tax revenue drops 33.5 percent exposing Sacramento’s delusion. beforeitsnews.com. [Online] Before It's News, August 21, 2012. [Cited: August 21, 2012.] http://beforeitsnews.com/tea-party/2012/08/californias-tax-revenue-drops-33-5-percent-exposing-sacramentos-delusion-2449544.html.

Political Avenger Plan of Action

We have spent the last seven postings discussing our grievances and now it is time to take action.  When our founders drafted the Declaration of Independence, they had exhausted all peaceful methods to address their grievances.  In their situation, war with the crown was the only option left.  However, we have something they did not have, King George never came up for election.  We will have a new President in 2017 so there is no need to take up arms against the government. 

However, we must take action to insure the changes we make in the next two elections are changes that will restore our nation’s liberties and not cause us to slide further into tyranny.  There are three phases to our plan of action but one thing all three phases have in common is the three P’s. 

In review, the three P’s are prayer, planning, and participation.  I hope all of you have already been participating in the first P and praying for our nation.  I know sometimes the situation appears hopeless but with God all things are possible (Mark 10:27).  Prayer may seem like it is the least important thing we can do but I believe it is key for we face a steep uphill battle and need God’s power to bring about the changes, many in the hearts of people, that will be necessary to reverse our nations slide down the slope of tyranny. 

Phase 1 of the plan is to establish a conservative majority in both the House and Senate.  In 2010 we established a Republican majority in the House but soon discovered that under the leadership of Speaker Boehner, it was not a conservative majority.  Even though they have voted 39, and soon 40 times to repeal Obamacare, these votes were DOA when they reached the Senate.  The House has had numerous opportunities to defund Obamacare since 2011 but under Speaker Boehner’s leadership have continued to fund it.  A House of Representatives with a Conservative majority will have an opportunity to elect a new speaker that will not hesitate to move the conservative agenda forward in the House. 

Establishing a conservative majority in the Senate will be more difficult but not impossible.  Most of those up for election in 2014 won election on Obama’s coattails in 2008 and thus are vulnerable due to the numerous failures of this administration.  This is an opportunity for tea party conservatives to rally around tea party conservative candidates.  Even though the task will be difficult, it is not impossible.  I refer back to the first P, prayer. 

Phase 2 of the plan is to take back the White House in 2016 while maintaining and increasing conservative majorities in the House and Senate.  This is where we failed in 2012 but this time, the Presidency is open so there will be no incumbent.  However, we must learn from our mistakes in 2012.

In 2012 there were several conservative candidates running against Mitt Romney in Republican Primaries, the candidate of choice for the Republican establishment.  In many of the primaries that Romney won, he failed to carry 50 percent of the vote, which means that the conservative candidates received more votes than Romney did, but since the votes were divided among all conservative candidates on the ballot, Romney won these primaries and the nomination. 

In the 1980 presidential election, conservatives rallied behind one candidate, Ronald Reagan, and he was able to win the nomination and the Presidency by a landslide.  It is important for Tea Party conservatives to organize behind one presidential candidate and turn out on large numbers to secure their nomination as we did 1980. 

Phase 3 involves installing guardrails in our constitution to insure we do not reverse course and begin sliding down the slope of tyranny again.  On Tuesday August 13, 2013, the great one, Mark Levin, will be releasing his new book “The Liberty Amendments.”  In this book, Mr. Levin will be unveiling a series of amendments such as term limits that will provide constitutional insurance against a reversal into tyranny.  The problem, however, with Constitutional amendments is that they require 2/3 of the Congress to pass, hardly something we might expect any future congress to do. 

However, in article 5 of the Constitution, there is a second way to introduce Constitutional amendments.  This is what Article 5 says:

 The Congress, whenever two thirds of both Houses shall deem it necessary, shall propose Amendments to this Constitution, or, on the Application of the Legislatures of two thirds of the several States, shall call a Convention for proposing Amendments, which, in either Case, shall be valid to all Intents and Purposes, as Part of this Constitution, when ratified by the Legislatures of three fourths of the several States, or by Conventions in three fourths thereof, as the one or the other Mode of Ratification may be proposed by the Congress; Provided that no Amendment which may be made prior to the Year One thousand eight hundred and eight shall in any Manner affect the first and fourth Clauses in the Ninth Section of the first Article; and that no State, without its Consent, shall be deprived of its equal Suffrage in the Senate.  (1)

By convening a convention of 2/3 of state legislatures, amendments can be offered to the Constitution, and not the writing of a new Constitution, without the need to achieve a 2/3 majority in the U.S. Congress.  Granted this has never succeeded when tried but I refer back to the first P prayer and Mark 10:17, “But Jesus looked at them and said, "With men it is impossible, but not with God; for with God all things are possible.”  (NKJV) 

That leads us to the third P, participation.  This is not the time to sit on the sidelines and believe just showing up to vote is enough.  We need to get busy writing our Representatives, Senators, and the White House.  During the August recess, conservatives need to turn out at town hall meetings even if it means using a vacation or PTO day to do it. 

We need to rally behind conservative candidates that share our values and help them win election by not just voting for them but by also making phone calls, knocking on doors, and attending rallies for these candidates.  We need conservatives to run for precinct chairpersons in precincts to insure elections are conducted lawfully. 

We also need to support efforts to amend the Constitution using Mark Levin’s guidelines that will be revealed in his new book.  This will help insure that none of our hard work to insure a return to more conservative, smaller, and more responsible government is wasted by the nation returning to statism and tyranny in the future. 

It is time for action political avengers.  The only question you need to ask yourself is if you are willing to pray, plan, and participate. 

1. The U.S. National Archives & Records Administration. The Constitution of the United States: A Transcription. www.archives.gov. [Online] [Cited: August 6, 2013.] http://www.archives.gov/exhibits/charters/print_friendly.html?page=constitution_transcript_content.html&title=The%20Constitution%20of%20the%20United%20States%3A%20A%20Transcription.