Not My Money

I was getting ready to head off to bed and wake up and eat turkey the next morning when I ran across a scary article. According to the Washington Times Treasury Secretary Paulson announced yesterday that the bailout package would increase by $800 billion. No debate, just an announcement.

The federal government expanded its financial-rescue effort by another $800 billion Tuesday to encourage more lending to home buyers and consumers, bringing the national bailout tab to $1.5 trillion and counting.

The program introduced Tuesday by Treasury Secretary Henry M. Paulson Jr. would commit $600 billion to assist the mortgage markets, and a second program would provide $200 billion of increased lending to consumers. Both would be operated by the Federal Reserve and do not need congressional approval.
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/nov/26/bailout-increases-by-800-billion/

When the $780 billion bailout package was being pushed a month ago it was touted as "the solution" to our economic crisis. Almost immediately after it was passed people started referring to it as "the first step." Now we are going to have another $800 billion added to the cost of the bailout, and Obama still wants another bailout bill passed shortly after getting into office.

You have to wonder where the politicians think this money is coming from. The more money you print off, the more you devalue the currency, reduce the buying power of the dollar, and indirectly tax every American. This trillion dollar package will further ruin this nation's already bleak financial future.

Beyond this, it is destructive to the Republican Party for President Bush to advocate yet again an insane spending package. If this party learned anything as a result of the general election hopefully it was that we need to be willing to draw the line in the sand and hold fast to our conservative principles. Wasn't their some Joe the Plumber guy who didn't like Obama because he wanted to "spread the wealth?" Now George Bush is trying to do it again. I hope when the Republican leaders wake up in the morning from their turkey induced slumber, hopefully they find their backbone and see this proposal die in the dustbin of failed socialist proposals.

All that said the scariest thing is that Paulson can allocate that much money to a purely socialist policy proposal without any kind of congressional authorization. When the first bailout bill was passed it took two house votes, presidential pressconferences, and a suspended presidential campaign to give Secretary Paulson $780 billion to save the economy. If Secretary Paulson can simply allocate himself $800 billion to continue saving the economy, he is either stretching his authority, or going beyond it. Either way he has way to much power, and the congress needs to stop him from going forward with this proposal.

Freedom!!!!

As a young person I am passionate about politics. I started campaigning in the 2004 presidential race, and have been unable to pull myself out of it ever since. That said, I don't love politics just for the sake of it, although I have a blast campaigning, etc... The reason we must be involved in the political process is to preserve the freedom we enjoy in the greatest nation in this great nation, and to reclaim the freedom that has been lost. With the many challenges we face it would be a great privilege and quite an accomplishment if we could give the generation yet to be born a nation better than the one we enjoy.

Thank you for stopping by, and I hope you keep dropping by as I post about the political happenings in D.C. and this beautiful commonwealth of Virginia.

Keep Pressing On

Well I guess all I can say is I'm sure glad my whole life isn't politics.  Three-four years of not winning would be tough if that were the case.

Thankfully there is a much higher authority than any elected official, and no matter who wins or loses an election, or what bill passes or fails God is in control.

Praise God for His sovereignty, and that it is not up to us. 

Abortion, When will the Holocaust end?

Last night was slavery movie night. We watched Amistad with Dr. Spinney as a U.S. History extra credit opportunity, and watched Amazing Grace, the story of William Wilberforce, later. My regular readers know that I absolutely love Amazing Grace. Amistad was also inspirational (note:: Dr. Spinney advises skipping the middle passage section due to nudity). It is the story of some slaves who captured their slave ship, and still end up in America. When they arrive they are tried for manslaughter in a case that makes its way all the way up to the Supreme Court of the United States. This movie focuses on the legal fight for freedom the slaves go through.

So y'all are thinking, "He is telling us about slave movies and I thought this post was about abortion?" I know. Well I can't help reading or watching the horrors of slavery and the fight against it with out thinking about abortion. Abortion is our national crime against humanity that has been justified, excused, and permitted for years. We need someone to stand up and dedicate his life and political career to ending this atrocity. While I am willing to be the one, I pray God will end this tragedy sooner. Abortion can't be allowed to go on for another twenty years.

On this same note, this is the reason the presidential race is so important. A liberal member of the court will almost certainly retire by 2012. We need to nominate a president we know will nominate judges who will overturn Roe. We also need him to be the man who can help the GOP regain it's image nationally and help it regain the senate. Without the senate the president will have a difficult time getting his nominees confirmed.

As you think about your choice for president remember lowering taxes saves money, while ending abortion saves lives.

"Jesus, please protect the little unborn children, they deserve a chance to run and play."

The thrill of victory... and the agony of defeat

In Virginia if the margin of victory in an election is within .5%, the loser may request a recount.

Over the past three years Virginia has had three races that have fallen within the .5% margin of victory.

2005

Initial reults reported Bob McDonnell defeated Creigh Deeds in the race for Attorney General's race by 323 votes.

2006

Jim Webb defeated incumbent senator, George Allen, by 9,000 votes out of over 2 million votes cast, a margin of victory of about .45 %

2007

After the canvassing was completed in the race for Virginia's 37th senate district, Ken Cuccinelli was still leading Janet Olsezek by 92 votes, a margin of .2%.

So what's the point of all these boring numbers? I just want to take a moment to point out who it was that called for recounts. Only the Democrats can't handle being defeated. Creigh Deeds dragged the state through a recount, and spent thousands of taxpayers dollars to make sure we counted everyone's vote. When the recount finally ended in the middle of December, Bob McDonnell's margin of victory actually increased by thirty seven votes. In 2006 with control of the senate hanging on t outcome of his senate race, George Allen chose not to drag the state, and the country, through a recount. He waited to see the results of the canvass, and then stepped out in front of the cameras, thanked his supporters for all their work, thanked teh state for electing him before, and then conceeded. Now in 2007 after the canvass was completed, Janet Olsezek, or was it her campaign manager, has called for a recount in one of the closest VA state senate races ever.

But why would Janet pull the people she wants through a recount and spend thousands of taxpayers dollars on this? Is there anything to indicate that the recount could change the outcome of the election? No. The canvassing changed nothing, and the provisional ballots actually gave Ken one more vote. No concrete accusation of voter fraud have been leveled. So why cal for a recount unless you simply can't stand losing?

While many things can be learned from George Allen's senate race, one lesson is when you have lost, be willing to concede. The only to call for a recount would be if there are serious instances of voting fraud, like more votes cast in a county than its registered voters. Virginia has never had major voter fraud, and there has never been a real reason to call for a recount. Anyone that loses a close race should have the courae to concede.

Memo to Democrat candidates: While defeat is agonizing, don't be too shocked if you lose while running against the rising conservative stars in Virginia.