1 Peter 3:10

10 For
"Whoever desires to love life
and see good days,
let him keep his tongue from evil
and his lips from speaking deceit;”

This verse begins a series of verses that tell us how to have a good life. It starts by addressing those who wish to “love life and see good days,” which is pretty much everyone. The basic answer these verses give for how to live a good life is to do good. Note that these verses are not promising that nothing bad will happen when we do good; in fact, a few verses later we say that we can find blessing in suffering for what’s right.

The first step in the set of instructions is the second half of verse 10, to control our speech. Interestingly the first step given is one of the hardest to follow, since “the tongue is a fire, a world of unrighteousness… staining the whole body, setting on fire the entire course of life, and set on fire by hell” (James 3:6). Our speech is powerful, holding the power to hurt and heal (Proverbs 12:18), preserve and ruin (Proverbs 13:3). Because of this, we must exercise great care to keep from sinning with our words. With this is important to remember that,

“No temptation has overtaken you that is not common to man. God is faithful, and he will not let you be tempted beyond your ability, but with the temptation he will also provide the way of escape, that you may be able to endure it.”
(1 Corinthians 10:13)

1 Peter 3:9

9 Do not repay evil for evil or reviling for reviling, but on the contrary, bless, for to this you were called, that you may obtain a blessing.

This verse tells us that instead of seeking revenge, we should respond to mistreatment with blessing. In Luke 6:27-29 Jesus says,

“27 But I say to you who hear, Love your enemies, do good to those who hate you, 28 bless those who curse you, pray for those who abuse you. 29 To one who strikes you on the cheek, offer the other also, and from one who takes away your cloak do not withhold your tunic either.”

Jesus Himself provided the ultimate example of this. When He was tormented leading up to His death, he did not retaliate, instead He put his trust in God (1 Peter 2:23).

1 Peter 3:8

8 Finally, all of you, have unity of mind, sympathy, brotherly love, a tender heart, and a humble mind.

This verse is pretty simple, but important. We should live with unity of mind, with fait, not doubting God. 1 James 1:6-7 tells us,

"6 But let him ask in faith, with no doubting, for the one who doubts is like a wave of the sea that is driven and tossed by the wind. 7 For that person must not suppose that he will receive anything from the Lord; 8 he is a double-minded man, unstable in all his ways.”

We should be sympathetic to those around us, have brotherly love, and a tender heart, all of which help us in following the second greatest commandment, to love our neighbor as ourselves (Mark 12:31, Matthew 22:39). Finally we should have a humble mind. We have Jesus as an example for this; during his time on earth he displayed great humility, despite the fact that He was the person most deserving of arrogance, as He was, and still is, God.

1 Peter 3: 1-7

1 Likewise, wives, be subject to your own husbands, so that even if some do not obey the word, they may be won without a word by the conduct of their wives, 2 when they see your respectful and pure conduct. 3 Do not let your adorning be external—the braiding of hair and the putting on of gold jewelry, or the clothing you wear— 4 but let your adorning be the hidden person of the heart with the imperishable beauty of a gentle and quiet spirit, which in God’s sight is very precious. 5 For this is how the holy women who hoped in God used to adorn themselves, by submitting to their own husbands, 6 as Sarah obeyed Abraham, calling him lord. And you are her children, if you do good and do not fear anything that is frightening. 7 Likewise, husbands, live with your wives in an understanding way, showing honor to the woman as the weaker vessel, since they are heirs with you of the grace of life, so that your prayers may not be hindered.

While the first 6 of these verses are written to women in particular, there are important truths that apply to everyone. One of these is found in verses 1-2, which is that our conduct can be a strong witness for Christ; by doing good we show Christ to others. In the other verses we see that God judges us by our actions, not our appearance; we should focus on how God sees us, not others. Verse 7 then instructs men to honor their wives, as they are equally heirs of God.

1 Peter 2:24-25

24 He himself bore our sins in his body on the tree, that we might die to sin and live to righteousness. By his wounds you have been healed. 25 For you were straying like sheep, but have now returned to the Shepherd and Overseer of your souls.

These two verses tell us what Christ gave us by dying on the cross. With his sacrifice we can die to our old sin natures and live in righteousness; he has healed us. He died, “that we might die to sin and live to righteousness.” By accepting this sacrifice we turn from our old lives, lost, and are found in Him. Through this sacrifice we can become perfect in God’s eyes; 2 Corinthians 5:21 says, “For our sake he made him to be sin who knew no sin, so that in him we might become the righteousness of God.” This raises the question in Romans 6:2 of, “By no means! How can we who died to sin still live in it?” We should strive to live our lives for God; Romans 6:23 says,

“Do not present your members to sin as instruments for unrighteousness, but present yourselves to God as those who have been brought from death to life, and your members to God as instruments for righteousness.”

The power of this truth is magnified by the facts given in the previous verses. Jesus never sinned, even when brutally assaulted and executed, yet he died for us, for our sins. He took our punishment, though He was the only man to ever live that did not deserve that punishment (also see Isaiah 53:5, 7-9, 1 John 3:5).

1 Peter 2:22-23

1 Peter 2:22-23

22 He committed no sin, neither was deceit found in his mouth. 23 When he was reviled, he did not revile in return; when he suffered, he did not threaten, but continued entrusting himself to him who judges justly.

These verses show the great example Christ gave us for how to live our lives. He lived a life absent of sin, despite the fact that he encountered much greater tribulation than any of us could possibly imagine. We are told that through His earthly life, He placed his trust in the Father. Because of His perfection in the face of suffering and temptation we can know that our Savior knows what we go through; Hebrews 4:15 states,

“For we do not have a high priest who is unable to sympathize with our weaknesses, but one who in every respect has been tempted as we are,yet without sin”

Obama's "Green Czar" (Who Also Happens to Be a Racist Communist) Resigns

Link

It's about time...

1 Peter 2:21

1 Peter 2:21

21 For to this you have been called, because Christ also suffered for you,
leaving you an example, so that you might follow in his steps.

This verse continues the theme from the preceding verses of suffering for God. From this we know that we have been given an example to follow in this. This example is the ultimate example, Jesus Christ. From this example we know that we can also endure suffering, following in His steps.

This Woman Helps Decide Our Laws...

Link

This speech has so many problems, I don't really know where to begin. Most conservative news outlets are focusing on the use of the "race card" but honestly I find that one of the least concerning aspects of her speech. I will, however, make this point; she claims that people in foreign countries were shocked that we elected a black president. Has she stopped to consider that this could be because people like her devote so much of their time to trying to convince everyone that a substantial number of Americans are racist? Does she not realize that she is in fact much of the problem?

Now, the part of this video that really concerns me is her blatant support of communism (not progressivism, not even socialism, communism). She started by fawning over Cuba's health care (dishonest, but common among libs, not that big of a deal), but then went on to praise Castro (one of the "brightest leaders" she has ever seen) and the Communist Revolution. This woman is a blatant Communist. She then made up history about Che Guevara leading the revolution ("kicked out the wealthy) then finding Castro afterwards, proving that she is not only a Commie, but an uninformed one.

EDIT: here's a link to just the part on Cuba

1 Peter 2:18-20

1 Peter 2:18-20

18 Servants, be subject to your masters with all respect, not only to the good
and gentle but also to the unjust. 19 For this is a gracious thing, when,
mindful of God, one endures sorrows while suffering unjustly. 20 For what credit
is it if, when you sin and are beaten for it, you endure? But if when you do
good and suffer for it you endure, this is a gracious thing in the sight of God.

These verses tell us to submit to authority, even if it is unjust, because this demonstrates the grace of God. If we return unjust treatment with sin, then both we and the person in authority are wrong. However, if we return this abuse with good, we are clearly in the right; when we do this for God, we bring glory to God.

1 Peter 2:17

1 Peter 2:17

17 Honor everyone. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honor the emperor.

This verse gives a simple but much-encompassing command that guides how we should live our lives. We are to respect all people, love fellow believers, fear God, and give respect to our leaders.

1 Peter 2:16

1 Peter 2:16

16 Live as people who are free, not using your freedom as a cover-up for evil,
but living as servant of God.

This verse tells us that we should live as free people, but should use it not as an excuse for evil, instead living as servants of God. Our freedom allows us to do what we want, but God desires us to use this freedom to choose to serve him, not ourselves.

Some Good Old Fashioned Strong Arm Politics

Health Insurers Fear Probe By House Dems Is Reprisal for Opposing Part of Obama's Plan

1 Peter 2:15

1 Peter 2:15

15 For this is the will of God, that by doing good you should put to silence the ignorance of foolish people.

The meaning of this verse is quite clear; it is God’s will that we do good, and in doing good, we will silence those who stand against us. It’s hard to speak evil of someone who is known for doing good. In context this verse is referencing the command in the previous two verses to obey earthly authorities, but it is relevant in every area of our lives, and is used in a general context elsewhere in the Bible, including verse 12 of the same chapter.

Hmmm...

Firms with Obama ties profit from health push

1 Peter 2:13-14

1 Peter 2:13-14

13 Be subject for the Lord’s sake to every human institution, whether it be to
the emperor as supreme, 14 or to governors as sent by him to punish those who do
evil and to praise those who do good.

These verses tell us that we should submit to our human leadership whoever they are. A similar admonition is given in Titus 3:1,

“Remind them to be submissive to rulers and authorities, to be obedient, to be
ready for every good work”

This teaching is expounded upon greatly in Romans 13:1-5, which tells us that we must submit to authority because all authority comes from God. God allowed everyone who is in a leadership position to be in that position. Thus we obey them because we obey God. That passage also points out the practical aspect to this; those who resist the authorities incur their wrath.

“1 Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no
authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. 2
Therefore whoever resists the authorities resists what God has appointed, and
those who resist will incur judgment. 3 For rulers are not a terror to good
conduct, but to bad. Would you have no fear of the one who is in authority? Then
do what is good, and you will receive his approval, 4 for he is God’s servant
for your good. But if you do wrong, be afraid, for he does not bear the sword in
vain. For he is the servant of God, an avenger who carries out God’s wrath on
the wrongdoer. 5 Therefore one must be in subjection, not only to avoid God’s
wrath but also for the sake of conscience.”

It must be added to this, however, that we are also told in Acts 5:29,

“But Peter and the apostles answered, "We must obey God rather than men.”

When earthly authority requires us to act in opposition to God’s will, we must obey God. While he has set up earthly authority, that authority is still sinful and God is still our Lord, our ultimate allegiance is to Him. The Bible is full of many examples of this being followed, Daniel refusing to stop praying, the Israelites rebelling against their captors (though God sometimes required them to stay under foreign leadership, such as Daniel), and the early Church illegally preaching the Gospel, which is the context in which Acts 5:29 is found.

Conservatives Outnumber Liberals in All States

Conservatives Now Outnumber Liberals in All 50 States, Says Gallup Poll

Yep, all 50 states (three are within margin of error). They even outnumber moderates in 25 states (tie in 4 more).

1 Peter 2:12

1 Peter 2:12

12 Keep your conduct among the Gentiles honorable, so that when they speak
against you as evildoers, they may see your good deeds and glorify God on the
day of visitation.

From this verse we see that we should keep our actions
among the unsaved honorable, so that when they begin to criticize us, they have
nothing of substance to bring against us; they can remember only our good.

2 Corinthians 8:21 tells us to keep honorable before both God and man:

“for we aim at what is honorable not only in the Lord’s sight but also in the
sight of man.”

Philippians 2:15 tells us that with righteous living we will be lights to the world:

“that you may be blameless and innocent, children of God without blemish in the
midst of a crooked and twisted generation, among whom you shine as lights in the
world”

Titus 2:7-8 tells us to live as a model of good works so that our opponents are put to shame, because they have nothing bad to say about us:

“7 Show yourself in all respects to be a model of good works, and in your
teaching show integrity, dignity, 8 and sound speech that cannot be condemned,
so that an opponent may be put to shame, having nothing evil to say about us.”

Matthew 5:6 tells us to:

“in the same way, let your light shine before others, so that they may see your
good works and give glory to your Father who is in heaven.”

What a Fine Representative of the People

"I will vote against the interests of my district"

House Democrats Say Public Option Will Stay, Push Back Vote

Liberal Dems in the House are saying that they will not allow the health care bill to pass without the public option attached, and their leadership have pushed back the vote until late September.

Link

Public Option to Be Dropped from Obama's Health Care Plan?

White House officials have been recently saying that the public option is not essential for the health care bill. The compromise to this would probably the development of consumer-owned (but government supported) health care cooperatives. While this may gain support from the moderate and conservative opposition, it may create new opposition from the liberals who want the public option.

Link

Two Men Arrested for Praying... in America

Link

Here's the basic gist of this situation:
1) ACLU files BS lawsuit against school (someone please explain to me how allowing prayer and promoting Christian values is Congress making a "law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof")

2) School settles, this includes not allowing the senior class president to speak at graduation because she is a Christian and might have said something religious ("prohibiting the free exercise thereof," "abridging the freedom of speech" much?)

3) Principal (Frank Lay) asks athletic director (Robert Freeman) to pray at a meal for school employees and boosters.

4) Judge M. Casey Rodgers has them arrested for this prayer under contempt charges.

Добро пожаловать к родине, друзья!

Some Interesting Poll Numbers

Highlights:

Daily Presidential Tracking Poll -
Obama: 52% Disapprove overall, 65% among independents

BY THE NUMBERS -
Obama less than 50% approval on the economy, national security, leadership, energy, ethics, and the current economic crisis.
Only 11% think taxes will go down, 68% think spending will go up.
GOP has slight lead on generic Congressional ballot.
More people think tax cuts and spending cuts benefit the economy than tax and spending increases.
Voters trust the GOP more than the Democrats on national security, health care, the economy, education, social security, taxes, abortion, and immigration. They trust Democrats on ethics and corruption, and trust both equally on Iraq.
60% believe America is on the wrong track.
Only 39% believe humans are the cause of global warming, but 61% think it is a serious problem.
52% think nuclear power plants should be built.

Support for Congressional Health Care Reform Falls to New Low -
Americans oppose the current health care bill 53-42%.

1 Peter 2:11

1 Peter 2:11

11 Beloved, I urge you as sojourners and exiles to abstain from the passions of
the flesh, which wage war against your soul.

From verse 11 we see that we should strive to “abstain from the passions of the flesh,” or abstain from physical sins. We are told that these not only are sins, but in fact war against our soul. In Romans 13:14 we are told that through or Lord Jesus Christ we can defeat lust:

“But put on the Lord Jesus Christ, and make no provision for the flesh, to gratify its
desires.”

Galatians 5:24 tells us that our fleshly desires have been crucified:

“And those who belong to Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions
and desires.”

Obama Calls Health Care Bill Protests "Scare Tactics" and Gives Clue to Quality of Government Health Care

Link

The basic gist of this article is Obama attempting to counter the claims of those opposed to his health care plan. This is, of course, in contrast to the non-scare tactic of the gloom and doom he has been predicting if it is not passed.

Perhaps the most interesting part of this article, however, is the Obama quote at the end of the article:

"They do it all the time," he said. "UPS and FedEx are doing just fine. ...
It's the Post Office that's always having problems."

Did Obama just say the public option component of his plan will be run with the efficiency of the post office? I think we should listen to this man.

Democrat Congressman Yells at One of His Constituents

Link

Entertaining read; apparently you shouldn't go on tirades against people asking valid questions.

$12.1 Trillion? Clearly Not Enough

WSJ: Geithner Asks Congress to Increase Federal Debt Limit

A couple high (low) points from the article:

"the Treasury projects that the current debt limit could be reached as early
mid-October. Increasing the limit is important to instilling confidence in
global investors, Mr. Geithner said."

Really? Making our debt even more massive is going to instill confidence?

The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office said Thursday the federal
government's budget deficit reached $1.3 trillion through the first ten months
of fiscal 2009, on track to reach a record high of $1.8 trillion for the
12-month period.

Lovely.

Well, Renewable Energy Sure Seems to Be Working Well...

Bloomberg: Wind Promises Blackouts as Obama Strains Grid With Renewables

So someone remind me again why we aren't using nuclear power?

1 Peter 2:10

1 Peter 2:10

10 Once you were not a people, but now you are God’s people; once you had not
received mercy, but now you have received mercy.

This verse tells us of the results of our salvation. Before being joined together by Christ, the body of believers was not a people, but now we belong to God. We had not received mercy, we were under the law, but now we have mercy, the law of liberty.

Instability Increases in Iran

Pro-Mousavi Iranians chant "death to the dictator"

Sotomayor Confirmered

Link

William Jefferson Convicted

Remember the Congressman who got caught hiding bribe money his freezer? He was found guilty on 11 charges.

Link

Clinton Brings Imprisoned Journalists Home

Link

It looks like the only cost to this was a little propaganda for North Korea, a small price to pay for the freedom of two Americans. If that is the only cost, I have to give props to Clinton and the Obama administration for sending him; this appears to have been handled surprisingly well.

1 Peter 2:9

1 Peter 2:9

9 But you are a chosen race, a royal priesthood, a holy nation, a people for his
own possession, that you may proclaim the excellencies of him who called you out
of darkness into his marvelous light.

Verse 9 describes believers; a contrast to nonbelievers described in verse 8. We are told that we have been chosen; we are a race, a nation, made priests, made for God. Revelations 1:5-6 tells us that this was the result of our salvation through Christ’s blood:

“5 and from Jesus Christ the faithful witness, the firstborn of the dead, and
the ruler of kings on earth. To him who loves us and has freed us from our sins
by his blood 6 and made us a kingdom, priests to his God and Father, to him be
glory and dominion forever and ever. Amen.”

The verse continues by teaching us why we were called. We were called so that we can proclaim the awesomeness of God, to tell others of salvation through Jesus’ sacrifice. This truth is expressed and expounded on in the great commission, Matthew 28:19-20:

“19 Go therefore and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name
of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, 20 teaching them to observe
all that I have commanded you. And behold, I am with you always, to the end of
the age.”

1 Peter 2:7-8

1 Peter 2:7-8

7 So the honor is for you who believe, but for those who do not believe,
"The stone that the builders rejected has become the cornerstone,"
8 and "A stone of stumbling, and a rock of offense."
They stumble because they disobey the word, as they were destined to do.

Continuing the theme of a spiritual house, verse 7 seven points out that, for those of us who believe, Christ is honor and that, though rejected by those he came to save, Jesus is the Cornerstone, the basis of our salvation, the rock on which the Kingdom of God is built. Verse 8 then tells us that He has become a stumbling stone, an offense to those who reject Him, those who disobey. This we can see in the world around us; many who are not Christians quickly take offense to the Truth. It is important to remember that, while we do sometimes add to the offense people take to Christ by our wrong actions, some people will always be offended by the Truth, and the Truth of Christ is something we cannot compromise.

1 Peter 2:6

1 Peter 2:6

6 For it stands in Scripture: "Behold, I am laying in Zion a stone, a cornerstone chosen and precious, and whoever believes in him will not be put to shame."

Verse 6 continues the theme of comparing the building of the Kingdom of God to the building of a building. In verses 4 and 5 we are told that we are stones in a spiritual house, and in verse 6 we are told that the cornerstone of that house in Jesus Christ. When we believe in that Cornerstone, we stand on a strong foundation, and cannot be put to shame.

Is This What We Have to Look Forward To?

UK Telegraph: Patients forced to live in agony after NHS refuses to pay for painkilling injections

Looks Like Taxes May Be Going Up

AP: 2 Obama officials: No guarantee taxes won't go up

Timothy Geithner and Larry Summers both refused to rule out raising taxes.

From the AP article:

"President Barack Obama's treasury secretary said Sunday he cannot rule out higher taxes to help tame an exploding budget deficit, and his chief economic adviser would not dismiss raising them on middle-class Americans as part of a health care overhaul."

Cash for Clunkers

Link

The "Cash for Clunkers" program is out of money; shocking that a program designed to essentially give away money would actually give away money. Apparently liberals have once again failed to realize the quite simple concept that when you offer money to people they'll take as much as they can.

You may be thinking that the boost to the economy from this program will outweigh the negatives of government spending. However, a look at one of the rules of this program from the official site (page 5) indicates that this may just be a temporary boost. The law requires that,

"The dealer must agree to transfer the trade-in vehicle to a disposal facility that will crush or shred it so that it will never be returned to the road, although parts of the vehicle, other than the engine block and drive train (unless the drive train is sold in separate parts), may be sold."

This program is taking thousands of cheap cars off the market. While the dealers will get a temporary boost from increased sales, they are loosing all the sales from selling these trade-ins, as they are forced to have them destroyed. This also takes cheap car options away from the thousands of Americans who are unable to afford new cars.

When the government meddles in private industry, it creates problems. Do we really want these people running our healthcare?

Navy Pilot's Remains Found in Iraq

The remains of a Navy pilot, the first American lost in the Gulf War, have been finally recovered in the Iraq desert.

Link

Obama Says Recession Will Continue

"It will take many more months to fully dig ourselves out of a recession - a recession that we've now learned was even deeper than anyone thought"

Link

Chavez Shutting Down Radio Stations

He's shutting down 34 radio stations; all in the interest of democracy, of course.

Link

Iran Confirms It Is Holding Three Americans

Link

House Votes to Limit Wall Street Bonuses

And this time it doesn't just apply to businesses that were bailed out; it applies to all businesses with more than a billion dollars in assets. If this bill becomes law, businesses in the financial sector that are successful, helping the economy, will not be able to pay their executives what they want. Do Democrats not think that limiting pay might just limit motivation?

Link

Three American Tourists Likely Held by Iran

Link

Venezuela Cracks Down on Free Speech

Link

Chavez is moving closer and closer to making Venezuela a full fledged dictatorship.

Going Down...

Gallup Daily: Obama Job Approval - 53% Approve, 39% Disapprove
Rasmussen Presidential Tracking Poll - 48% Approve, 51% Disapprove

1 Peter 2:4-5

1 Peter 2:4-5

4 As you come to him, a living stone rejected by men but in the sight of God
chosen and precious, 5 you yourselves like living stones are being built up as a
spiritual house, to be a holy priesthood, to offer spiritual sacrifices
acceptable to God through Jesus Christ.

In verse 4 we are told that while the world may reject us, God has chosen us, considers us precious even. We are then compared to stones building a house; we are spiritual bricks building God’s Kingdom. We do this as a holy priesthood, spreading His truth. We are called to be living sacrifices, dedicating our lives to God through our relationship with Christ. Romans 12:1 makes a similar statement, adding that this is what worship truly is:

“I appeal to you therefore, brothers, by the mercies of God, to present your
bodies as a living sacrifice, holy and acceptable to God, which is your
spiritual worship.”

Health Care Bill May Be Moving Forward

Link

According to the article the Senate is claiming to be close to an agreement on the bill that supposedly won't raise deficits, and Dem leadership in the House has convinced the "Blue Dogs" to allow a vote in September.

The article also has an interesting blurb on an alternate bill conservatives has come up with; it's much cheaper but still expensive as hell.

Sen. Hatch's View on the Health Care Bill Compromise Discussions

Senate Health Care: GOPer Not Pleased With 'Bipartisan' Talks

Essentially the Senator is saying the the compromise talks will accomplish nothing because the Democratic leadership won't allow them too. Basically the Democrat's talk of bipartisanship is total BS.

Things Going Bad for Obama?

Blame Bush!

Yeah, that $1.3 Trillion deficit is the reason your health care bill is so insanely expensive and disliked by Americans. It's as though Obama thinks he can do whatever he wants and just blame the Bush administration when it doesn't work. He apologizes for American "arrogance," but meddles in the affairs of governments that actually like us.

Link

1 Peter 2:1-3

1 Peter 2:1

1 So put away all malice and all deceit and hypocrisy and envy and all slander.

1 Peter 2 starts with a simple admonition to live honestly and with content. Similar commands are given in Ephesians 4:31:

“Let all bitterness and wrath and anger and clamor and slander be put away from
you, along with all malice.”

and Colossians 3:8:

“But now you must put them all away: anger, wrath, malice, slander, and obscene
talk from your mouth.”

1 Peter 2:2-3

2 Like newborn infants, long for the pure spiritual milk, that by it you may
grow up into salvation— 3if indeed you have tasted that the Lord is good.

Verse 2 tells us that we should seek spiritual guidance like an infant seeks milk. We need this spiritual “milk” so that we can grow in our salvation, our relationship with God. The value of spending time in God’s Word is unparalleled in this. The importance that God’s Word should hold in our lives is seen in Psalm 119:105,

“Thy word is a lamp unto my feet, and a light unto my path.”

So What Happens When a Pro-American Democratic Nation Impeaches a Leftist President With Likely Dictatorial Goals?

Our government revokes that country's official's visas, obviously. I'm referring, of course, to Honduras, where their Congress voted then-president Manuel Zelaya out of office, their Supreme Court ordered his arrest, and their military removed him from the country. The only questionable action here was the removal instead of prosecution, but the US and other Western nations insist in calling this a coup and punishing Honduras (revoking visas, suspending aid, threatening sanctions).

This is a sovereign nation trying to protect itself from what were likely Chavez-like dictatorial moves. How exactly does the Obama administration get off condemning another nation for trying to protect its democracy? If Bush displayed arrogance in his foreign policy, Obama is now displaying anti-American arrogance.

Link to AP article.

Iraq Seems to be on the Right Course

Gates says U.S. urban pullout in Iraq going well

Health Care Bill May Loose Public Option in Senate

Link

According to the article, the Senate is in negotiations that may replace the public health care option with non-profit plans. Since this was the main concern with the bill, it will be interesting to see how this turns out. What effect this will have on the cost, how much the government will be involved in these non-profits, and how effective they could actually be will be very important questions to ask.

Even if it this change is accepted by the Senate, the House will still of course have to accept it as well. As the current Bill is being blocked by the Blue Dogs, a more conservative option might actually be accepted there too.

Sotomayor Nomination Approved by Judiciary Committee

Link

I doubt her ruling will in any way resemble the Constitution, but it's not like Souter's did either, so it's not really that big of a deal in my opinion. Maybe she'll turn out like Souter in reverse: turning conservative after being nominated by a liberal. A pipe dream, but still, it would be awesome.

A Little Coruption?

Link

It looks like a couple Democratic senators may be looking at some ethics troubles...
Remember that a public perception of corruption was one of the things that hurt Republicans in '06.

1 Peter 1

A while ago I figured out that the best way for me to do devotions was to write them as if it were for someone else; then I figured that if I were writing that way, I way as well make it available for others to read. For the most part it's just summaries, but hopefully someone can get something out of it.


1 Peter 1:1-2

1 Peter, an apostle of Jesus Christ, To those who are elect exiles of the
dispersion in Pontus, Galatia, Cappadocia, Asia, and Bithynia, 2 according to
the foreknowledge of God the Father, in the sanctification of the Spirit, for
obedience to Jesus Christ and for sprinkling with his blood: May grace and peace
be multiplied to you.

1 Peter 1:3

3 Blessed be the God and Father of our Lord Jesus Christ! According to his great
mercy, he has caused us to be born again to a living hope through the
resurrection of Jesus Christ from the dead,

In this verse Peter first praises God, and then begins to tell what God has done for us. The most important thing for us that God has done was the sacrifice made on the cross. This was done out of God’s mercy. There is nothing we could have done to gain salvation on our own; Titus 3:5 tells us,

“he saved us, not because of works done by us in righteousness, but according to
his own mercy, by the washing of regeneration and renewal of the Holy Spirit,”

Our being born again gives us hope; we know that we have life after death.


1 Peter 1:4-5

4 to an inheritance that is imperishable, undefiled, and unfading, kept in
heaven for you, 5 who by God’s power are being guarded through faith for a
salvation ready to be revealed in the last time.

Verse four goes on to tell us that we have been reborn to an inheritance, one that is eternal. Through our faith, God’s power holds us, keeping us so we can see the fullness of our salvation in the end.


1 Peter 1:6-7

6 In this you rejoice, though now for a little while, if necessary, you have
been grieved by various trials, 7 so that the tested genuineness of your
faith—more precious than gold that perishes though it is tested by fire—may be
found to result in praise and glory and honor at the revelation of Jesus Christ.

We should rejoice in our inheritance, even if we are going through hard times. We should in fact be glad when we encounter trials; we are told in James 1:2 to “2 Count it all joy ... when you meet trials of various kinds.” We go through these trials to test and strengthen our faith, so that it can provide in praise, glory and honor to God. The next verse in James tells us that the testing of our faith produces steadfastness.


1 Peter 1:8-9

8 Though you have not seen him, you love him. Though you do not now see him, you
believe in him and rejoice with joy that is inexpressible and filled with glory,
9 obtaining the outcome of your faith, the salvation of your souls.

In verse 8 Paul describes the love of the church in Rome for Christ. We should love Christ in the same way; despite the fact that we cannot see Him, we love, believe and rejoice. This will fill us with unimaginable joy. In John 20:29 Jesus says this of those who have not seen Him, yet believe, "Have you believed because you have seen me? Blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed." Adding to this joy is the result of our faith, salvation.


1 Peter 1:10-12

10 Concerning this salvation, the prophets who prophesied about the grace that
was to be yours searched and inquired carefully, 11 inquiring what person or
time the Spirit of Christ in them was indicating when he predicted the
sufferings of Christ and the subsequent glories. 12 It was revealed to them that
they were serving not themselves but you, in the things that have now been
announced to you through those who preached the good news to you by the Holy
Spirit sent from heaven, things into which angels long to look.

These verses mention the dedication of the prophets in searching for what was to come; that they looked forward to what we know. In verse 12 the awesomeness of Good News, our salvation, is described as something angels long to just see.


1 Peter 1:13

13 Therefore, preparing your minds for action, and being sober-minded, set your
hope fully on the grace that will be brought to you at the revelation of Jesus
Christ.

In this verse we are told to prepare our minds for action. A more direct translation of this is to gird up the loins of our minds, a command alluding to preparation for combat. We must always be prepared to answer God’s call, as though we were soldiers and lives depended on it, and spiritual lives do. Importantly, this command to prepare our minds is subordinate to the other half of the verse; we prepare our minds for action while pursuing the ultimate mission of setting our hope on the Grace of God, living our lives wholly dedicated to our Lord.


1 Peter 1:14-16

14 As obedient children, do not be conformed to the passions of your former
ignorance, 15 but as he who called you is holy, you also be holy in all your
conduct, 16 since it is written, "You shall be holy, for I am holy."

Verse 14 tells us that we should not give into the desires of our sin nature (former ignorance), but should be obedient to Christ as children. 1 Peter 4:2 tells us we should live “...for the rest of the time in the flesh no longer for human passions but for the will of God,” and Romans 12:2 tells us “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewal of your mind, that by testing you may discern what is the will of God, what is good and acceptable and perfect.”
The latter two verses then tell us why we should live this life of obedience; we follow God, so we are to be holy as He is holy. God has called us to holiness: “God has not called us for impurity, but in holiness” (1 Thessalonians 4:7). This reason, to act in a way that emulates God, is consistent, recorded in the Leviticus 11:44, “For I am the LORD your God. Consecrate yourselves therefore, and be holy, for I am holy...”


1 Peter 1:17

17 And if you call on him as Father who judges impartially according to each
one’s deeds, conduct yourselves with fear throughout the time of your exile,

From verse 17 we can see that we need to maintain a fear (respect, reverence) of God.


1 Peter 1:18-19

18 knowing that you were ransomed from the futile ways inherited from your
forefathers, not with perishable things such as silver or gold, 19 but with the
precious blood of Christ, like that of a lamb without blemish or spot.

We were given freedom from the bondage of sin; reclaimed by Christ’s blood. We have been brought from death to life; Hebrew 19:4 says that

“how much more will the blood of Christ, who through the eternal Spirit offered
himself without blemish to God, purify our conscience from dead works to serve
the living God.”

There is nothing more sacred, more precious than that sacrifice that Christ made for us. Because of this great sacrifice we should strive to act in a way that brings glory to God. I Corinthians 6:20 tells us

“for you were bought with a price. So glorify God in your body.”

1 Peter 1:20-21

20 He was foreknown before the foundation of the world but was made manifest in
the last times for the sake of you 21 who through him are believers in God, who
raised him from the dead and gave him glory, so that your faith and hope are in
God.

Jesus, who existed before the creation of the world, came to earth for our sakes, so that we could be brought to God. Christ, who ruled in heaven came to earth to die for us, raised from the dead so that we could have hope in God. Hebrew 2:9 says,

“But we see him who for a little while was made lower than the angels, namely
Jesus, crowned with glory and honor because of the suffering of death, so that
by the grace of God he might taste death for everyone.”

1 Peter 1:22-23

22 Having purified your souls by your obedience to the truth for a sincere
brotherly love, love one another earnestly from a pure heart, 23 since you have
been born again, not of perishable seed but of imperishable, through the living
and abiding word of God;

These two verses describe the love Christians should feel towards each other and the basis for it. We are told we should genuinely love each other as brothers would; that love should be deep, with pure motivations. We are able to have this love because we are born again, new people, living not through our temporary bodies but by the eternal Word of God.
1 Timothy 1:5 says that, “The aim of our charge is love that issues from a pure heart and a good conscience and a sincere faith.” Teaching us that the heart of Christianity is love; God’s love for us, our love for God, our love for others.


1 Peter 1:24-25

24 for
"All flesh is like grass and all its glory like the flower of
grass.The grass withers, and the flower falls,25 but the word of the Lord
remains forever."
And this word is the good news that was preached to you.

These verses explain the relevance of born again, no longer born of perishable seed but the imperishable Word of God. In the context of eternity our earthly lives are like grass and the “great” things we do are like flowers, they quickly die and pass out of memory. However, in stark contrast to that is Word of God, as God is eternity.

The grass withers, the flower fades, but the word of our God will stand forever.
- Isaiah 40:8

Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. - Matthew
24:35

Israeli Citizens Protest Obama

Link

Protesters in Israel are protesting in an attempt to both get their government to stand up to US pressure to stop settlements and get the US government to stop providing that pressure. Once again, the liberal mantra of not meddling in other nation's affairs doesn't apply when it serves their interests.

Obama and Democrats Popularity Falling

According to Rasmussen's Daily Presidential Tracking Poll, Obama's approval rating from likely voters has dipped below 50%, and those who strongly disagree with his performance outnumber those who strongly agree 39 to 30%. Other highlights including 53% in opposition to the health care bill, 54% blame Bush for the economy, and 31% think the nation is heading in the right direction.

Their Generic Congressional Ballot shows the Republican party favored by voters for Congress.

These polls suggest the tide may be turning to favor the Republicans. Great news for them if they can manage not to screw it up, and maybe good news for America (let's hope they actually run intelligent conservatives). 2010 will be interesting.

This Sounds Bad

Swine flu could hit up to 40 percent in US

Hopefully this is a major exaggeration, but still. The panic that will result if this is anywhere near accurate will just make it all the worse.

Gotta Love Censorship

GOP Not Allowed to Say 'Government-Run Healthcare'

Sad News from North Korea

Report: North Korea Publicly Executes Christian Woman for Distributing Bible

This is really sad and disturbing. Makes me glad I live America, but reminds me that not everyone has it as good as us. The people of that country need prayer.

Health Care Bill Looking Better

By which I mean its chances of passing are dwindling.

Democrats see healthcare deal hopes collapse

It's now looking very likely that the Democrats will be unable to push through the bill in the time Obama originally wanted. Rahm Emanuel claims he still expects them to get it through by the end of the year, but every delay will see their political capital decrease, giving opposition a greater chance to stop this monstrosity. Apparently moderate Democrats don't care much for socialized medicine either.

Well This Is Interesting...

Ousted Honduran leader returns home — briefly

This'll be interesting. A socialist President essentially tries to become the permanent leader of his nation (sounds familiar), their congress and supreme court have the military remove him, and "all governments in the Western Hemisphere have condemned the coup." Ah, I love it; the only time liberals see fit to interfere with other nations is when they prevent themselves from becoming a socialist dictatorship.

Maybe Americans Don't Like the Race Card?

Obama rushes to quell racial uproar he helped fire

Really this whole situation is pissing me off. Perhaps the "nation's keen sensitivities on matters of race" are aggravated most when people play the race card for no reason. That Gates guy made a dick of himself when a cop tried to do his job, then turned it into a national controversy; that's the biggest problem with race relations in America in my opinion.

I Have a Solution: Follow the Constitution

Apparently when the government decides it needs to create an unconstitutional and socialist program it encounters problems:
Bloomberg: Democrats Weigh Health Mandate as Obama Urges Taxing Wealthy

Goodbye Freedom, Goodbye Capitalism, Goodbye Prosperity

Reuters: U.S. healthcare revamp to require medical coverage

Really? Requiring everyone to have insurance? I seriously hope that is not the case, and the article was just poorly articulating what the bill will actually do, because otherwise that would be a blatant attack on liberty. The requirement for businesses to provide insurance is nearly as bad, especially considering that we're in a recession right now. Forcing business to provide insurance will obviously cut into their profit, which in most cases will force them to cut jobs; businesses giving insurance won't do much for you if they won't hire you. A third problem is the fact that this would be very damaging to insurance companies. Requiring them to cover everyone would be like forcing banks to give loans to people with low incomes who might not be able to pay them off (sound familiar?), and the competition from the government plan (which, being backed by the government, can do anything without concern for profit) will make the insurance business a nightmare.

You may be reading this thinking that all of these problems will be solved by the government offering health care. But do we really need the government spending even more money? This excessive spending is not sustainable. Also, nothing the government takes over improves. Government bureaucracy rapes efficiency.

Oh, and everything I just wrote is pointless; the plan is blatantly unconstitutional.

Iran Claims Uranium Enrichment for 'Peaceful' Purposes

Reuters: Iran says U.N. report shows its nuclear work peaceful

Because we all know that uranium needs to be highly enriched for nuclear power...

Sweet, Now All Republicans Need Is a Fake News Show to Blast Her

Cheney and Pelosi Have Poor Ratings in Common

Wait, Canada Makes Stuff?

Canada passes "Buy Canada" type resolution

Trade war anyone? Apparently protectionism against your hat is a bad idea.

This Could Get Interesting

The Times (UK paper) is reporting that Israel is preparing a strike on Iranian nuclear facilities. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. Perhaps a trip to Iran is in my future?

Link

Obama Claims He'll Cut Wasteful Programs

Reuters: "Obama says he'll cut dozens of wasteful programs"

We'll see. But even if he does, can it even come close to countering the massive spending increases that he has done and plans to do?

Good Move by Obama Administration

According to the AP the US will be boycotting the United Nations' racism conference, because its document singles out Israel for accusation of racism and calls for restraints on free speech. It's good to see that Obama is willing to stand up to the UN to support these principals, especially since a lot of Democrats and liberals oppose him on this.

Apparently Water and Carbon Dioxide Are Now Threats to Human Health and Welfare

Looks like the libs will have a new way to regulate businesses soon. The EPA just declared greenhouse gases to be a threat to humans. This will doubtless lead to Congress pushing legislation that will have no effect but to hurt businesses. Whatever your opinion on global warming and its causes, a cap-and-trade policy or other sanction on businesses in America won't do much. A switch to mostly nuclear power (the one thing liberals don't want to copy from Europe) would probably accomplish just as much, and would actually help the nations economy.

Really?!? They Think this Is a Good Idea?

AP: "Fannie Mae chief named to head U.S. bank rescue"

Seriously, this guy has been involved in so many failed companies it's scary.

GM Finally Preparing for Bankruptcy

When a company is being so poorly run that it is loosing tens of billions of dollars, bankruptcy is really pretty much the only option. Hopefully if they do declare bankruptcy (not certain yet) they can use this to get the UAW to quit raping them and have realistic employee compensation that actually allows them to make a profit. Of course, the government will probably just wind up bailing them out again, despite the fact that the goverment has no constitutional right to use tax revenue... er, make that money they borrowed from China... to prop up a failed business model (or any other business).

Link

Obama Looking to Improve Relations with Cuba

Honestly a change probably does need to happen with regards to Cuba. Communism really is no longer enough of a threat to justify a full embargo and no diplomatic ties. I'm not saying we should have full diplomatic ties with them; that probably shouldn't happen as long as they are still committing human rights abuses, lack freedom of the press, ect. (basically as long as they are Communist).

Link

U.S. Hostage Rescued from Pirates

Link

Sounds like some awesome work from the Navy. The captain also deserves a whole lot of recognition; it takes a lot of courage to put your own life at risk to protect others.

U.N. to Condemn North Korea

Apparently the Security Council has agreed to condemn N. Korea's recent rocket launch. Considering how ineffective actual resolutions have been, I can't see this presidential statement can be expected to do anything at all, unless my suspicions that Kim Jong-Il is looking for a confrontation. With China and Russia's support (though incomplete) of North Korea, this could be pushing the world in very bad direction.

New Deficit Record Reached for the Month of March

Link

How can anyone think this is a good idea? If a person ran up debt like this they'd be in jail. Eventually people and other countries are going to stop letting the government borrow this money. Obama claims he will cut the deficit in half in 2013, but his estimated deficit for that year is higher than last year's, so I don't see how that can be considered any sort of progress.

Kim Jong Il Preparing for Successor, Let's Hope He Doesn't Want to Go Out with a Bang

Link

North Korea has been getting more provocative lately, the rocket launch the most recent example. This has had me concerned that Kim might be trying to get a war to rival his father's and put him in the history books. With this new news that he has appointed a relative to a high position in what appears to be preparations for his succession, if I'm right about his intentions things will start heating up soon. Let's hope I'm wrong (I'm not exactly anything close to an expert here, so that hope is probably well founded).

The Obama Agenda Part I: Guns

http://www.whitehouse.gov/agenda/urban_policy/

"Address Gun Violence in Cities: Obama and Biden would repeal the Tiahrt Amendment, which restricts the ability of local law enforcement to access important gun trace information, and give police officers across the nation the tools they need to solve gun crimes and fight the illegal arms trade. Obama and Biden also favor commonsense measures that respect the Second Amendment rights of gun owners, while keeping guns away from children and from criminals. They support closing the gun show loophole and making guns in this country childproof. They also support making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent."

Lets look at this one part at a time:

- The Tiahrt Amendment
The Tiahrt Amendment prevents the BATFE from releasing information from its firearm trace database for any reason other than a criminal investigaiton. How does that restrict law enforcement the tools to solve crimes and fight illegal arms trade? Those are criminal investigations. The only thing I can see coming from this being repealed is that the database will be used for things not related to criminal investigations such as identifying gun owners.

-Closing the gun show loophole
Two questions: First, What is wrong with the sale of a firearm between two private individuals? Second, how would this be constitutional? No where in the constitution can there be found anything allowing this (and under the 9th and 10th amendments that means they can't do it); the closest it comes is regulating interstate commerce, but in know way is one person selling a gun to another "interstate commerce."

-Making guns in this country childproof
Uhh... What does this mean? Locks? Wouldn't that kind of make it hard to defend yourself? I mean, if someone is threatening you or your families life they probably aren't going to give you the time to unlock your gun. If the parent is smart and teaches their child proper gun safety (such as never even think of touching this without me present), then it's perfectly safe to have guns in the house.

-Making the expired federal Assault Weapons Ban permanent
YEAH! BAN THOSE SCARY GUNS!
In addition to some specific models, here's the definition of an "assault weapon" from the original ban:
"`(B) a semiautomatic rifle that has an ability to accept a detachable magazine and has at least 2 of--
`(i) a folding or telescoping stock;
`(ii) a pistol grip that protrudes conspicuously beneath the action of the weapon;
`(iii) a bayonet mount;
`(iv) a flash suppressor or threaded barrel designed to accommodate a flash suppressor; and
`(v) a grenade launcher;"

None of these add to the danger of a weapon (except a grenade launcher, but since grenades are destructive devices and nearly impossible to get legally, it's pointless). A folding or telescopic stock simply make the weapon easier to transport (a rifle with a folded stock is still to big to be effectively concealed) or capable of being adjusted for needs, respectively. A pistol grip simply makes the weapon easier to handle. The bayonet mount lets you put a bayonet on the rifle... now how many bayonets are used in crimes? A flash suppressor reduces the flash seen by the shooter to increase visibility, it doesn't reduce the flash visible to anyone else.

Since none of these features really add any "danger" (and of course, depriving people of their right to bare arms is unconstitutional whether those weapons are "dangerous" or not), why are they banned? Simple, they are features of scary looking weapons. The combination of this "scariness" and the fact that much of the public believes this ban applies to automatic weapons makes it less likely to be opposed and thus gives an easier inroad into eventually banning all or most firearms.

So What Happens When Pirates Decide to Go Capture an American Ship?

The Americans win.

20 Americans Taken by Somoli Pirates

Things just keep piling up, we'll have to wait and see how Obama handles this one.

Shouting Match Or Something Real?

North Korea has threatened to respond to any UN "steps" with its own "strong steps." The obvious question now is, what are these steps? Since any "steps" the UN might take will most likely be essentially meaningless (as usual), I have to wonder if North Korea plans to respond in kind. My worry here is that Kim Jong-il is looking for a war to rival that of his father and ensure his place in his nations history, and is using this whole thing to find an excuse.

Link

Legislature Sanctions Imorality

Vermont is now the fourth state to legalize gay marriage, and the first to do so through the legislature.

Link

Why the "Pay for Performance Act" Is a Bad Idea

Pay for Performance Act

While it may sound good to restrict pay to banks that are taking government funds (assuming you look past the fact that the government acted outside its constitutional authority with TARP to begin with), and it feeds the populist rage, but it will do nothing to help the economy and will likely harm those banks. By limiting the compensation employees at the banks can receive, the government essentially guarantees that bankers and administrators with the talent to improve the banks will go elsewhere, to banks they can actually get paid well at.

You're Fired! By the Government

Apparently taking out the CEO of GM wasn't enough for Geithner; it looks like he's got the bank executive in his sights now. Honestly, some of the banks may need new management, but that is not for the government to decide. The powers of the federal government is limited to what it is given by the constitution; firing employees of private businesses is not one of them.

Now, where's the outrage the Democrats had when Bush fired government employees that served at his pleasure (which means he was allowed to fire them, if you didn't get that)?

Link

Obama Can't Even Get the UN to Condemn the N. Korea Rocket Launch?

It's the United Nations... it's not like their resolutions actually mean anything. The fact that Obama can't get them to oppose a missile launch by North Korea is not a good sign in my opinion. Hopefully I'm jumping the gun here, and he'll figure out a solution to this that actually accomplishes something.

Link

Obama Starts the Yelling at North Korea, but what's Next?

Fox News: "Obama Condemns N. Korea Missile Launch, Vows to Pursue Missile Defense in Europe"

He has called for U.N. sanctions (not that those have done much in the past) so far, let's see how far this actually goes. I honestly don't have an opinion on how exactly this should be handled (other than that something more than rhetoric), so it will be very interesting to see how Obama continues to handle this.

Naivete or Rhetoric?

Obama has now called for the eradication of nuclear weapons (link). You can see my opinion on the likelihood of that here. I now have to wonder if he really means this, or if this is just rhetoric he is using to push nations to a decrease in nuclear capabilities. If so, this may actually be a good strategy; have one goal, but give people an amazing, impossible goal to reach , so when they fall short they'll meet your actual goal.

I'm sure most of us can agree that an international decrease in the presence of nuclear weapons would be a good thing, as long as the US and our allies keep enough to be effective both as a deterrent to use and to use should worst come to worst. A reduction would have only positive benefits, less chance of them falling into terrorists' hands, less reason for other nations to feel threatened into procurement, and improved world opinion.

One very good sign I saw in the AP article was that Obama promised that we would keep nukes as long as other nations had them, and another was this quote by him, "As long as the threat from Iran persists, we will go forward with a missile defense system that is cost-effective and proven." That is actually, in my opinion, a reasonable approach.

Bailout Gets More Expensive

Link

North Korea Launches Missile

So they finally launched it; it'll be interesting to see how the rest of the world reacts. Will they actually do something to try to punish NK, or will they simply do nothing and thus essentially validate the launch?

Link

Obama's New Afghanistan Stragegy Recieves Some Support from NATO

NATO nations have given verbal support and are sending 5,000 non-combat troops in support of Obama's surge strategy. Hopefully he is able to gain more support, specifically in terms of combat troops.

N. Korea Puts Off Missile Launch

Link

Apparently the missile is ready for launch, but its launch has been delayed; unfortunately this appears to be because of strong winds, not diplomatic success.

Excellent Point about Shootings and Gun Rights

This article from Fox News makes an excellent point about multi-victim public shootings: they almost exclusively happen in gun-free zones. If you think about it, this makes sense. If someone wants to kill large numbers of people, where will they go? They'll go somewhere where they have the advantage, where no one else will have guns.

This fact points to the cliche, but true, statement that when guns are outlawed, only outlaws will have guns. People who are going to commit crimes with a gun probably won't care that they are committing another crime by having the gun, so outlawing guns will only take them from those who do not want to commit crimes; the very same people who could stop the criminal if they were allowed to carry firearms.

When my home state of Florida enacted "shall-issue" laws for concealed carry permits, its violent crime rates decreased faster than the rest of the nation. Think about it, would you be more or less likely to attack someone if you knew they had the means to easily kill you?

Liberals Lying about Guns?

Couldn't be possible! But wait, it seems the "fact" they've been throwing around about US guns fueling Mexican crime is BS. Of course, common sense could have told you that; the criminals in Mexico are using automatic weapons, and few automatic weapons in the US that can be owned by civilians are under tight control. Anything to take away gun rights, I suppose.

Fox News: "The Myth of 90 Percent: Only a Small Fraction of Guns in Mexico Come From U.S."

World Without Nukes?

Apparently Obama called for an end to nuclear weapons today in Europe (Reuters article). Of course nuclear weapons are dangerous, but getting rid of them is a complete pipe dream. There is no way anything short of a one world government will eradicate them. Possibly some nations could be convinced to give them up, but that would just put those nations at a major strategic disadvantage to those who did no give them up.

North Korea Launch Nears

AFP: "S.Korea expects N.Korea rocket launch on Saturday"

Court Makes Gay Marriage Legal in Iowa

Apparently the Iowa Supreme Court thinks that not changing a millennia old definition of marriage is unconstitutional. Evidently they felt the need to overturn the will of the people and impose their own personal morality on the people of Iowa. You can claim that it's about equal rights, that unlike heterosexuals, homosexuals aren't given the right to marry who they want, but heterosexuals (or any other sexual group) don't have that right either. Everyone's rights with regards to marriage are to marry a consenting human being of legal age of the opposite sex; both homosexuals and heterosexuals have these rights. Allowing them marry thus becomes a question of morality, and the Iowa Supreme Court apparently felt their morality was more important than that of the people.

AP: "Iowa court says gay marriage ban unconstitutional"

Apparently Taking 500 People to Europe Is More Important than Supplying Troops

Washington Times: "Military strained by Obama trip"

No comment necessary.

$3.6 trillion budget...

The House's budget plan is $3.6 Trillion (and that's after they cut some of what Obama wanted), and includes tax increases. Do people really think that massive government spending and taxing those who provide jobs is going to help the economy? I understand that a lot of it is them supposedly wanting to "help" the less fortunate, but private groups, who will lose out on donations with these higher taxes, do a much better job than the government. It's also interesting that those who clamor the loudest for the government to help people out do the least to personally help them (seriously, look up the Obama's and Biden's charitable donations); perhaps when they get the government to help the poor with other people's money, it assuages their guilt for not actually doing anything themselves.

AP: House approves $3.6 trillion budget blueprint

Possible Showdown with North Korea Getting Closer

According to this article from the AP they have reportedly started fueling the missile, and threats from both sides are picking up. Both President Obama and Japan have threatened action if that rocket is launched, with Japan saying it will take it to the UN. In return North Korea has threatened attack if their missile is shot down.

It will be interesting to see how Obama handles this.

Reduce the Deficit and Provide Individuals and Businesses With Automatic Capital?

Nah, spend wildly and remove money from the economy, that should work.

Reuters: "Republican budget plan would cut taxes, spending"

The Government Can't Manage Itself Effectively, What Makes It Think It Can Manage Banks?

Reuters: "Ousting bailed-out U.S. bank CEOs an option: Geithner"

Seriously, if the US government were a company, it would have been bankrupt years ago. What the hell makes Geithner think he knows what is best for private corporations (let alone has the constitutional authority to act on it)? Is it just me, or does this seem a bit authoritarian? At the very least, it is now almost impossible to claim this administration is not socialist.

"World leaders are set to declare an end to unfettered capitalism at a G20 summit"

That's the beginning of the first sentance in this article, and quite honestly it scares me. Nations' are banding together to try to solve a financial disaster by increasing regulation. You may think that this sounds good, but ask yourself this: what are the simplist components that the causes of this recession can be reduced to? The answer is regulation and risk.

The regulation I refer to is the requirement that lenders had to give a large number (>50%) of their loans to low-income individuals (you know, "sub-prime mortgages," sound familiar?); though the socialists may not want to admit it, their use of the government to try to help the poor played a large part in this crisis (and screwed over a lot of those poor in the end). The part that risk played is obvious, and this is what the governments will try to regulate away. The problem here is that risk is inherit in capitalism.

Successful businesses in a capitalist system (and the other systems haven't exactly worked all that well) have to take risk. Eliminate the possibility of this and you stunt growth. Sure those risks eventually lead to recession, but that's something that comes with capitalism. Socialism may weaken the effects of recessions, but that's just it puts the economy so close to the bottom there's no where to fall. Don't believe me? Take a look at all the (major) nations with more socialist governments than ours (you know, the ones screaming for us to accept their plans); who is worse off before a recession? Them. Who is worse off during a recession? Them. Who is worse off after a recession? Them. Which side do you want to be on?

Why DADT Needs to Be Kept

Allowing homosexuals to serve openly would be highly detrimental to the armed forces. If the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy is changed there are two possible results. The first is that some men (women) will be forced to room and shower with men (women) who are attracted to men (women). The second is that homosexuals will have separate living quarters/latrine facilities. There are problems with both results:

Result 1: Homosexuals are fully integrated
In this case there will be a dramatic increase in sexual tension, sexual harassment, and sexual assault (and accusations of such). The military already has a problem with this between heterosexual men and women, and they are separated to some extent (living quarters/latrines). If you assume that homosexuality is natural (if you don't then my arguments are only stronger), then it must also be assumed that the strengths of their desires is the same of that of heterosexuals (to say otherwise would imply the homosexuals are somehow better). Now ask yourself what would happen if men and women were not separated in the military, if they had to share rooms and showers? The same thing will logically happen if homosexuals are allowed to serve openly. The only reason men and women are separated is sexual attraction, why would it not be the same for homosexuals? Which brings us to result 2.

Result 2: Homosexuals are separated from other members of their sex
The reason this is a bad idea is quite simple. How much money would this cost (new rooms, possibly barracks, new latrines, ect.)? ALOT Would the small increase in new soldiers outweigh these costs? Probably not. There just aren't enough homosexuals who would join the military if DADT is changed to make up for the costs. Keep in mind that DADT does not bar homosexuals form serving, just from being openly homosexual while serving.

North Korea Pushing It

North Korea seems quite intent on pissing off the rest of the world, especially America. We've had news of their up-coming test firing of what is believed to be a long-range missile for a while and now they apparently plan on indicting, quite likely for BS trumped up charges, the two US journalists they detained under suspicious circumstances. Perhaps Kim Jong-il is hoping for a war to rival his father's?

AFP Article on Journalists

Reuters Article on Missile

Apparently I Spoke to Soon

I posted earlier that I thought Obama might be moving in the right direction with car companies, but after hearing they chose to force GM's CEO out, it no longer looks promising. Apparently the Obama administration thinks the government should be deciding who heads private corporations. At first it was looking like his policies towards car companies wouldn't be as insa... socia... far-reaching as they were with the banks, but now with this latest intrusion of big government I can't help but think the taxpayers will wind up owning their very own car company.

WSJ Article

President Obama Is Taking a Step in the Right Direction wtih Carmakers

According to this article from the AP, the Obama administration may actually be heading in the right direction with GM and Chrysler. He has said that the companies need to make progress themselves before receiving more government aid, which, really, should be common sense. Throwing money at a failed system will just waste money and prolong its inevitable failure. I'd rather not see them (or any other company) get more of the taxpayers' money ever, but at least he's making them make some progress on their own.

The highlight of the news in this article for me was this:

"GM and Chrysler are pushing the UAW to accept shares of stock in exchange for half of the payments into a union-run trust fund for retiree health care. They also want labor costs from the union to be competitive with Japanese
automakers with U.S. operations."

Amazing idea! Be competitive! Because whatever else you may blame their problems on, the fact that the UAW has forced them to compensate their employees well beyond that of rival (Japanese) companies operating in the US. I'm all for people getting fair pay and benefits, but it has to actually be fair. You get payed for your work; if you are getting paid so much that your work no longer helps achieve profit for the company, your pay is no longer fair. It may make you feel better to get paid more, but if it's so much that your company goes bankrupt, well...

Good News on DADT

According to this article from the AP, Secretary of Defense Gates has said that the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy will stay in place for a while. Unfortunately a change to this policy is apparently still in the works.

AP: "Sources: More US troops for Afghan war"

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama plans to dispatch additional U.S.
troops plus hundreds of civilian advisers in hopes of turning around a faltering
war in Afghanistan and will recommend increasing aid to neighboring Pakistan so
long as leaders there confront militancy, people familiar with the forthcoming
plan said Thursday...

link

This is probably a good idea. At the very least it shows that Obama can learn from history (Bush surge). It'll be interesting to see what liberals think about this after what they said about the surge in Iraq.

New Blog

I set up this blog so me and some of my conservative friends could discuss politics and current events. Hopefully you will enjoy reading it.