Includes thoughts and comments about energy needs, resources, conservation and their relationship to politics at home and around the world.

Thursday, March 26, 2009

Is a Revolution Ahead?

There are rumblings building in America among people fed up with what's going on in Washington and many state capitols. "Tea Parties", symbols of the famed Boston Tea Party in the buildup to the American Revolution, are being held all across America by folks opposed to horrendous government spending and taxation. "Project 9/12", an effort being started by talk show host and Fox News commentator Glenn Beck, aimed at bringing us back to the passion driven energy and commitment created by the 9/11 attacks on us, is gaining momentum. Obamarites are working overtime to push the nation into a full-fledged socialist state in their takeover of major banks, the auto industry, tax increases on the "wealthy" and discouragement of charitable giving by reducing allowable tax deductions. These are but a few of the things the new administration is doing to drive the final nails into the coffin of a free America.

A Backwood Look at History

Throughout history, the pattern followed by those intent on bringing a nation to its knees has been the same: first, take control of the money; second, take control of the nation's means of production; third, tax the middle class (if one is left after steps 1 and 2) out of existence. The result is a loss of individual freedom and private property rights. Individualism is destroyed and collectivism reigns. It happened in post-WWI Germany, Italy and Russia and ultimately failed in all three cases after millions of lives were sacrificed in the process. In each case, in the midst of economic depression a ruling elite was formed consisting of a narcissistic radical leader and key wealthy individuals seeing an opportunity to gain even further wealth and power.

It Can Happen Here

If anyone says it can't happen here, they need to stop and look at what has and is happening in this country today. We have been drifting toward a collective state ever since Franklin Roosevelt became President in 1932, even during the Republican presidencies of Eisenhower, Nixon, Reagan, and Bush I and II. Both major political parties have made their contribution to the process despite their rhetorical protestations to the contrary. The Great Depression kicked off a flurry of "feel good" programs supposedly aimed at getting people back to work. WWII saved the day in that respect, but the socialistic trend picked up speed as soon as the fighting ceased.

Racial integration of our public schools began in Eisenhower's administration. It accelerated through the days of Kennedy and Johnson. It did nothing to improve the quality of education and everything possible to sow the seeds of its ultimate destruction. Fearing the further spread of communism, Eisenhower agreed to furnish military advisors to South Vietnam in their fight to stop communist North Vietnam. Despite Kennedy's claim that he wanted to get our advisors out of Vietnam, the numbers increased and became full blown under Johnson. It was during his administration and that of Nixon to follow that the U.S. news media led by CBS' Cronkite and Rather, riled up the folks back here to oppose the war which ultimately led to our shaneful withdrawal despite the fact we had won the war militarily. That action marked the beginning of the end of foreign respect for America's fighting spirit. In every foreign engagement since Nam, the voices of those opposed to our military involvement have grown louder if not in number. Still, all that remains between us and total loss of our freedoms is our military.

A New Political Party?

It's entirely possible that the "Tea Parties" and "Project 9/12" could lead to the establishment of a new political voice in the country. It would be fiscally conservative and made up largely of conservative Republicans, disenchanted conservative Democrats, Independents and Libertarians coming together on the issues of smaller government, reduced spending and reduced taxation. Those issues are a common thread connecting everyone who participated in the Tea Parties. All it will take is for leaders to emerge from the Tea Party demonstrators to bring the new party into existence.