Smoky Mountains Sunrise

Saturday, December 13, 2014

Jonathan Gruber: Honest Liberal


By Patrick J. Buchanan

Brought before a House inquisition, MIT professor and Obamacare architect Jonathan Gruber burbled a recantation of his beliefs about how that triumph of liberalism had been achieved.

Yet, something needs to be said in defense of Gruber.

For while he groveled and confessed to the sin of arrogance, what this Ivy League con artist boasted about rings true.

Friday, December 12, 2014

A Convention of the States - The Remedy Provided by America's Founders for a Time Such as This

America's founders provided a remedy for a time such as this - a federal government "drunk with its power" and out of control, with both political parties unwilling and unable to reign in its growth, spending and over-reach into the lives and businesses of the citizenry.  As we've seen in recent days, even Republican leaders in Congress are unwilling to challenge the unlawful actions of a tyrannous President, or to even provide expanded Republican majorities in Congress the opportunity to tackle the federal budget and curtail federal growth and activities that have no basis in the Constitution.  Article V of the Constitution allows for the states to petition for a Convention of the States to consider amendments to the United States Constitution.  These amendments must be ratified in the usual way, but the expectation is that the states will reclaim powers lost to a rapacious federal behemoth.

South Carolina is one of more than thirty states that are in the process of considering resolutions calling for a Convention of the States.  In the following video South Carolina Representative Bill Taylor explains legislation he has pre-filed in the South Carolina House that would lend the state's support to this long-overdue and needed restoration of the American republic.



Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Wreaths Across America Ceremonies to Honor More Than 500,000 Fallen Service Men and Women on Saturday, December 13

More than 500,000 graves of fallen American service men and women, in all 50 states, will be decorated by Wreaths Across America this Saturday, December 13.

The mission of Wreaths Across America is to Remember, Honor, Teach.  The organization also coordinates a week of events including international veteran’s tributes, ceremonies at State Houses and a week-long “Veteran’s Parade” between Maine and Virginia where they stop along the way to spread a message about the importance of remembering our fallen heroes, honoring those who serve, and teaching children about the sacrifices made by veterans and their families to preserve our freedoms.

This week of events is made possible by thousands of volunteers who organize local ceremonies, raise funds to sponsor wreaths, and participate in the events.  The cost of  the programs is paid by individual wreaths sponsors, corporate donors and volunteer truckers.

Those wishing to sponsor a wreath or help with wreath laying can find additional information at Wreaths Across America.



Monday, December 8, 2014

Alberta, the Freest Place in North America

 

FLAG OF ALBERTA

Credits: FILE PHOTO/Codie McLachlan/Edmonton Sun/QMI Agency
Alberta is the freest place in North America. So says the latest edition of Economic Freedom of North America, a report the Fraser Institute has produced for the past decade based on data going back 30 years.

The authors looked at jurisdictions through Canada, the United States and Mexico and graded them on a scale from 1 to 10.

Alberta received the highest score, with 8.2. Saskatchewan came in second with 8.0. And Newfoundland and Labrador, British Columbia and Texas all tied for third with 7.7.

Someone's going to have to break it to our friends south of the border that they're no longer the land of the free! We'll take that prize, thank you very much!

But what does all of this mean?

The report explains: "The freest economies operate with minimal government interference, relying upon personal choice and markets to answer basic economic questions such as what is to be produced, how it is to be produced, how much is produced, and for whom production is intended."

Critics might chortle a little here. "Hey, you're just talking about zero regulation for big industry, aren't you? What about the little guy?"

Actually, the report finds that's not the case. The more free an economy, the more everyone can share in the spoils.

"This research has found that economic freedom is positively correlated with per-capita income, economic growth, greater life expectancy, lower child mortality, the development of democratic institutions, civil and political freedoms, and other desirable social and economic outcomes," the report says.

Here's an example: the least-free 25% of North American jurisdictions included in the study have an average GDP per capita of $9,979. The top 25%? They're raking in $56,697.

When innovative people are left to their own devices, they create systems where we can all win.

So what do we do now? The sad news from this report is that economic freedom is actually on the decline in North America.

Since 2000, the average score of all the Canadian provinces has fallen from 7.8 to 7.6. It's worse down south - where American states fell from 8.2 to 7.5.

In other words, freedom still needs defending. Without it, our quality of life suffers.

Pope Francis: Demotion of Burke Not ‘Punishment’

American Cardinal Raymond Burke was removed by Pope Francis from a top Vatican post in November. (AP Photo/Riccardo De Luca, File/2012)
Pope Francis has denied that removing American Cardinal Raymond Burke as head of the Vatican’s highest court was a “punishment” for his outspokenly conservative views at a recent summit of bishops, saying instead he wanted a “smart American” to serve as patron of the Order of Malta.

“It is not true that I removed him because of how he had behaved in the synod,” Francis said.

The pontiff said that the move was part of a broader restructuring of the Vatican bureaucracy that had been decided well before the October 5-19 synod of bishops on the family. The reason he waited until after the synod to make it official, he said, was so that Burke could still participate in the meeting as the head of a Vatican department.

Read more at Crux >>

Sunday, December 7, 2014

USAF Christmas Flash Mob at the Smithsonian

Only half-way into the Advent season, this seems a bit early to us.  We celebrate the Christmas season that BEGINS on December 25, but for those whose calendar is determined by the department store chains, here's a wonderful Christmas Flash Mob that was recently performed at the Smithsonian's National Air and Space Museum.