I’m 17 and I’m a Conservative
I’ve grown up my whole life in the state of Michigan, so I’ve seen firsthand what it’s like to struggle. I’ve seen others struggle and I’ve witnessed it in my own family. In the past, I’ve seen my dad become an unemployment statistic several times. Most recently, back in November. This time was the hardest (for me anyways). I was at the age now where I could fully understand the gravity of the situation. I remember my mom telling me after school and I broke down in the hallway, I knew how much it meant to my dad to be working and providing for our family and now all of a sudden he couldn’t. My immediate (selfish) thought was “What are we going to do about Christmas.” Quickly, I realized that this Christmas was going to have to be about what I needed not necessarily about what I wanted. Christmas was scant this year, but I wasn’t disappointed. I learned a valuable lesson during this time: thankfulness. It’s a shame something like my dad losing his job had to happen for me to realize all that God has blessed my family with. Not once was my family without food or shelter. God provided for our needs and he has continued to provide for them.
Since that time my dad has started his own DVD business. I’ve learned from my dad what it means to work hard and never give up. I’ve watched my dad work his tail off to get new customers and stay up until 4am working on a project. Anyone who has started a business knows that the first year is the most difficult, and that has proven to be true for my family. He had a part time job selling power chairs and scooters, but that fell through this summer because of the changes going on with Medicare. My dad continues to search for a part time job until he is confident enough that his business alone can bring in sufficient money for my family.
My mother is doing her share as well, in addition to teaching during the school year she started a part time job doing data entry. She’s been working 3x a week this summer, and will continue to do so during the school year, going from teaching all day to working about 5hrs at night. Life hasn’t been easy, but we were never promised it would be. Not by God, or by government. God tells us life won’t be easy, but with His help we will make it through. Neither the Constitution nor the Declaration of Independence promises the American person success or complete happiness. We may pursue happiness, but whether we end up happy or not depends on how badly we want that happiness.
I’ve attended a private Christian school and a Baptist church my whole life, so I’ve been taught what is right and what is wrong. I’ve been taught to have good morals and obey authority. But I learned a lesson from a teacher this past year that I hope I never forget. The lesson is: regardless of your great upbringing, family background, and the fact that you call yourself a Christian does not mean you are exempt from failure. Whether it be failing God, family or yourself. All of us are liable to becoming the scum of the earth no matter what our history or how wise we think we are. That is why I feel it important as a young person to nail down what I believe and WHO I believe in, God. Every night I pray that I stay on the right path, not just the right spiritual path, but the right path for my life.
Since I am still in high school my life experiences are limited. And it has become increasingly apparent to me that I’m one of the few teens in this country who has a passion for what is happening. I have found it difficult to relate to teens my age, since none of them know what is going on, nor do they care when I try to explain it to them. I usually get a response like “Haha, Obama is the Antichrist” or “Obama’s so stupid”. That is not the point I’m trying to get across when I tell my peers that our freedoms are being taken away from us! I believe I get these responses because first of all, they probably don’t understand what “cap and trade” is or how big of a deal “nationalized healthcare is,” and secondly, they don’t think it will have any direct effect on them and a lot of kids haven’t read important documents like the Constitution so they won’t know when freedoms are being taken away. When talking to my peers I’m not asking them to have the sudden urge to run for political office or sit around watching the news all day. I simply wish they would take the time to educate themselves instead of sitting in front of the computer or Xbox all day.
I also find it hard to relate to some classmates during the school year. I don’t know what I have in me that has wired me so differently, but I cannot for the life of me get some of my classmates to understand why I study, do homework, and actually read the books being assigned to us. Do I think myself any better than these people because I do my homework? Absolutely not. But these are the people I fear will be sitting on the side of the road one day if they don’t get their act together. Perhaps it’s the fact that I’ve seen what great results come from working hard. I wasn’t blessed with a 4.0 brain but I was blessed with a work-ethic. And I think work ethic will get you farther in life than a 4.0 brain or an Ivy League degree. I’m not the kid who sits in class and doesn’t take notes, doesn’t study, then takes the test and gets an A. I’m the kid that sits in class, takes way to many notes, studies her butt of and gets the excitement of seeing that red A on her paper. For me that is more rewarding than the first kid I mentioned. I never have been nor do I want to be who person that gets everything handed to her. I enjoy working hard because I enjoy seeing it pay off.
I believe the above explanations help shape why I’m a conservative. My values, traditions and outlook on life have helped me realize what it is that makes me a conservative versus being a liberal. Being a conservative or liberal is a choice YOU have to make for yourself-you aren’t told what you are-you decide. I think that is something the youth in America is struggling with. In todays society it’s become more and more popular to be a liberal. Suddenly having morals is “uncool”. It’s cooler now to follow the crowd, and become someone you are not. That is why it is imperative that you find out who you are, who you believe in, what you believe in and why, and at a young age.
I’m a conservative because I believe in freedom, the Constitution, Bill of Rights, the power of the individual, freedom, the free market, small government and most of all RESPONSIBILITY. As a conservative I understand what a tremendous blessing it is to be living in the United States, but I also realize the huge responsibility that comes along with it. The Bill of Rights is where we find things that are considered “rights.” But the 10th Amendment reminds me that we don’t all have a right to everything, like healthcare. Healthcare is a responsibility, just like owning a car or house. I believe competition is good for the country and for the American. I’m a soccer player so I’ve got that competitive drive in me and I think if Americans get used to just being handed things our country will become less competitive making more people lazy, which will harm this country greatly.
As a teen what scares me the most about the direction our country is headed is when I hear men well into their 60s-70s say things like “Well, I’m just glad I’m old and won’t be here much longer. It’s the younger ones I fear for. They’ve got a lot coming.” I see where this country is going and I realize that the youths future is being decided for them and that should scare every teenager. I know history and I know “those who don’t know history are destined to repeat it.” -Edmund Burke. So my message to teens is: KNOW YOUR HISTORY. Educate yourself, learn about the Founding Fathers, learn about paths other countries have gone down and how it’s failed them. Learn about the Constitution. That way you’ll be able to see when someone is taking something away from you that they don’t have the right to do. I’ve got my whole life ahead of me but I’d like to have the ability to make my own decisions in the future.
I’m 17, I’m proud to call myself a conservative, but even more proud call myself an American!
President Clinton to the Rescue!!!
First of all, I am exceedingly grateful for the release of our two American journalists who have been held by the North Korean authorities. There are two very happy Immigrant-American Families today and that is a joy worth celebrating.
But then there’s the politics:
This visit of a former President is a very dangerous display of legitimacy to the North Korean regime. Remember they are in desperate need of fresh propaganda at a time when they are flexing their nuclear muscles.
The timing couldn’t be worse: A few short months after a round of nuclear weapons tests by the North Koreans, America responds by apologizing (seems to be a trend) and begging for the release of prisoners. When did we become such pansies? When did we as a country decide that we owed anyone an apology for being the most generous and wealth-producing country the world has ever known? Now release those prisoners!!!
But all that is really of little consequence. North Korea has been playing these games for decades. They have their ups and downs, flex their muscles and get some desperately needed economic aid from a former President (remember Carter) who agrees to some shit we will never know about but which our children are on-the-hook for. The economic stimulus will shut them up temporarily while they plan their next big power play.
No, what bothers me the most is the double speak we get from the White House Press Secretary, Robert Gibbs. The efforts to downplay the significance of this event are astounding. Obama can’t afford to be seen as weak on foreign policy therefore he has avoided this issue for months. Biden is now no where to be seen or heard of except for the occasional gaff-truth. But alas, Obama has the political cover to deal with the situation without being personally involved. Mr. President you have received a gift, and it’s not even your Birthday!
Did he approve this trip and the preceding negotiations? I think so, and here is way. Obama can’t have direct talks with N. Korea for foreign policy reasons. Having the Secretary of State’s husband and Ex-President extend-an-olive-branch gives Obama significant political cover. If things get ugly he can always through the Clintons under-the-bus. Something he’s wanted to do since the early days of the campaign.
Ask yourself this, is there anyway that a former President went halfway around the world to meet with the leader of a rogue nation without the knowledge of our security forces? No.
Further, don’t you think the Sitting-President would be made aware of such a trip out of professional courtesy? I’m thinking yes. If not, he should be pissed!!! I would be…
Schumer, Gutierrez and Waters to be Honored by ACORN
From Anita MonCrief:
Schumer, Gutierrez and Waters Honored for Governing the “ACORN Way” at Anniversary Celebration
If there are any lingering doubts that ACORN has been an organization that was squarely in the tank for Democrats, ACORN (which has never been coy about its thuggery and aspirations of political power) has offered proof in their own words. ACORN’s 39th Anniversary celebration takes place on June 17th, 2009 and it promises to be filled with a who’s who of Democrats.
Sadly for new puppies everywhere, this announcement is also another nail in the coffin of the Main Stream Media, as the RSVP at the bottom is that of The Advance Group, a major firm specializing in public relations. The Advance Group has many contacts in the MSM, but this event has been surprisingly kept under wraps. How is it possible that ACORN, who is in the middle of a ground war with bloggers and right leaning newspapers across the country (MSM reports only when they have to), has managed to plan a major event in DC with little media scrutiny. The email accompanying the attachment is also very telling, the full text appears below. The ACORN ties of each honoree or member would require another 10 to 15 posts.
—–Original Message—–
From: pol.nat.2@acornmail.net [mailto:pol.nat.2@acornmail.net]
Sent: Monday, June 08, 2009 7:53 PM
To: undisclosed-recipients:
Subject: ACORN 39th Anniversary Celebration Honoring Senator Schumer and
Representatives Gutierrez & Waters {INVITE}
Dear friends,
I would like to thank you for your generous contribution and support for ACORN in 2009. I am writing to invite you to attend or sponsor ACORN’s 39th Anniversary Celebration. We are hosting an event in Washington, DC on June 17 to honor the work of Senator Charles Schumer, Rep. Luis Gutierrez, Rep. Maxine Waters and AFT President Randi Weingarten. We’ll also be recognizing our newly formed Advisory Committee: Dave Beckwith, Henry Cisneros, Eric Eve, Harvey Hirschfeld, Kathleen Kennedy-Townsend, John Podesta and Andy Stern. We’d be delighted if you join us and, of course would love it if you could help sponsor the event even if you can’t be there in person.
With the help of so many generous supporters, in 2008 ACORN organized, helped register, and spoke face-to-face with more than a million low-income voters who changed history when they went out to vote—many for the first time—in the historic November election.
In 2009 we are engaged as a strong partner in the progressive movement, fighting to make the change people voted for a reality and win real action on healthcare, housing, comprehensive immigration reform and more.
Of course, not everyone appreciates our work as much as you and I do: Right-wing extremists continue to attack ACORN with unfounded allegations. Various conspiracy theories allege that ACORN has taken control of the Census, the FCC, the banking system, and $8 billion in federal funds; alas, it is all false! In many ways it is an honor to be an A-list enemy of people like Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs and Sean Hannity. But it isn’t cheap or easy to combat outlandish attacks while redoubling our efforts to organize ordinary people for progressive change.
And that’s why we need your help. Please join others who support our work. Please consider sponsoring our 39th Anniversary Celebration and on June 17, 2009.
Attach is an invitation to our event with options to buy tickets or sponsor at various levels. You can return the form with your check to ACORN (or tax-deductible contribution to the ACORN Institute) to:
ACORN Anniversary Celebration
739 8th Street SE
Washington, DC 20003
(Or you can donate online at www.acorn.org/donate. Just drop me a note to say you did and if we should reserve you tickets for the event on June 17th.)
For more information about our 39th Anniversary event or the work we are doing, please contact me directly at pol.nat.2@acornmail.net or (612)-385-2576. Thank you for your support and for all you do.
Sincerely,
Josie Mines
ACORN Civic Engagement Staff
o.(651) 917-3680 – c.(612) 385- – fax (202)379-1786
P.S. ACORN’s grassroots leadership believes we are experiencing a once-in-a-generation opportunity and must not squander this moment. Your generosity is needed now more than ever. Thanks.
I suspect this once-in-a-generation opportunity involves radical change in America, and a quick look at the honorees gives the appearance that this is actually a victory party. Like many high ranking Democrats, Charles Schumer has quite a history with ACORN. A Schumer website press release states;
“The U.S. Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a measure proposed by U.S. Senators Charles E. Schumer (D-NY), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), and Robert P. Casey (D-PA) to grant $100 million in funding to housing non-profits on the front lines of the fight to prevent a national foreclosure crisis from the subprime lending fallout. The measure—which would provide resources to government-approved agencies that help negotiate between borrowers and lenders to keep families in their homes—was contained in the Transportation and Housing and Urban Development (HUD) spending bill that passed the full Senate this morning.”
…The initiative by Sens. Schumer, Brown, and Casey has been welcomed by the nonprofit entities, which have seen demand for their services soar in recent months. Among the groups supportive of the effort are: National NeighborWorks Association, Center for Responsible Lending, Consumer Federation of America (CFA), National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC), and Association of Community Organizations for Reform Now (ACORN).
In addition to high profile Democrats with a pattern of doing favors for ACORN, the newly formed ACORN Advisory Committee is made up of familiar faces. For space and time reasons, I will not touch upon Andy Stern, President of SEIU, but his presence on the committee should be duly noted. However, former head of Obama’s Transition Team, John Podesta continues to openly support the “non-partisan” group. A “transcript of a management conference call dated March 20, 2006 states that:
“During a December 2006 Year End/Year beginning ACORN staff meeting in New Orleans, Podesta traveled there to speak to staff in a December 15 2006 session entitled: Preparing for Power: The Next Cycle?
Very interesting title and I am sure ACORN will state that it is a coincidence. Podesta also seemed to not only be yet another ACORN/Sandler link but also a go to guy for finance. In a management conference call dated March 20, 2006 it states that:
“WFP Ballot Line: Chris Entrikin to get signs in SC and hiring an operative to help with it. OR the committee is not going to the ballot in 06. In WA Clare C. (Crawford) meeting with honchos to see if going to ballot in 06. MA. Fundraising problems. AFSCME wants to block endorsement by state Fed. We did briefing w/John Podesta to help drum up $$. No word yet.”
Henry Cisneros, another member of the committee served as the Secretary of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) under President Clinton. ACORN’s own website describes this access to Democrats in power in a section called Insider Opportunites:
“Democratic control of the federal government meant that ACORN had increased access to top officials with more sympathetic ears. ACORN members began regular meetings with Henry Cisneros, HUD Secretary under President Clinton, on a variety of issues. ACORN organizing began to include more tenant groups under the ACORN Tenant Union (ATU), and Cisneros was increasingly helpful.”
In the section entitled Focus on Partnerships ACORN says:
“In July of 1994, ACORN invited insurers to a national Insurance Summit in Chicago where the Neighborhood and Home Safety Program was presented. The keynote speaker at the Summit was HUD Secretary Henry Cisneros, who lauded ACORN’s efforts and pledged to investigate violations of the Fair Housing Act by insurers. Summit participants included the eight largest companies which write over 40% of the country’s homeowners insurance. They took a tour of a typical ACORN neighborhood and attended a session explaining the benefits and success of neighborhood organizing and programs. After the summit, ACORN entered into negotiations with a number of the participating insurers to put the Neighborhood and Home Safety program into effect.”
A little investigative reporting by the MSM would uncover the roots and seeds for the housing collapse at this very gathering. Each one of the honorees or committee members has put ACORN’s goals and aspirations to power over the true needs of the people. ACORN and its cronies were aware of what was happening, but chose to capitalize on a historic power grab, as this December 2006 quote from an ACORN year end report illustrates (emphasis mine):
“In 2006 we saw the cracks begin to form in the subprime mortgage market with foreclosures on the rise and hundreds of billions of dollars in ARMs resetting. All signs indicate that in 2007 things will be even worse and the system could rupture. We need to be right there when it does.”
Congratulations to Schumer, Gutierrez and Waters; your association with ACORN has left you with a myriad of things to celebrate, foreclosures, fraud, missing tax dollars and a legacy of thuggery.
63% of Americans Believe Govt. Health Care Will Raise Taxes
So let me get this straight, Pres. Obama wants to introduce a government-run health insurance program that would compete with private insurers? Is this because the government did such a great job competing with private mortgage lenders? Are we not in this economic debacle because of Fannie and Freddie?
Obama thinks we spend too much on health insurance and get little in return. How is throwing more government involvement in the private sector going to help? How exactly does he plan on paying for this? Ok he’d like to cut federal payments to hospitals ($200 billion) take another $313 billion from the government run health programs Medicare and Medicaid. Good idea, take from the elderly and spread it around (sarc).
“The president has said, ‘These are the kinds of goals I’m after: lowering costs, covering all Americans, higher-quality care.’ And around those goals, there are lots of ways to get there.”
Lowering costs, this is insane! To make up for lowering costs and the cost of the government-run insurance plan itself, he’s going to have to find a way to further tax the American people. How is this saving the people money? Guess what, it will not save us any money and it will cost us royally in the end.
“Just 32% of Americans believe that the addition of a public sector insurance option would reduce the cost of health care. Forty percent (40%) say it would not. Sixty-three percent (63%) say it’s likely that a government insurance company would lose money and require taxpayer subsidies. Just 20% say that’s not likely. Forty-nine percent (49%) of Americans believe private insurance companies will provide better service and more choice than the government option. Thirty-four percent (34%) hold the opposite view.”
But let’s not forget, Vice President Biden says it all here, “it’s up to Congress to pin down the details on how to pay for them. They’re either going to have to agree with us, come up with an alternative, or we’re not going to have health care,” Biden said on NBC television. “And we’re going to get health care.” Game over according to Biden despite what “The People” have to say about it!
NOTE: For more information and to take action against the health care plan go to: http://www.saveourcountrynow.net/forums/viewforum.php?f=89
