Virtual Strip Searching

The TSA has started with their new virtual strip search policy. That's right, if you want to be able to fly today, you have to submit to a machine that is able to see underneath your clothing. What's the big deal? After all, don't we all want to be safe when we fly? Well, yeah. But, what are you willing to give up as a result of your fear? I think this is the real question.

Do you think they (our government) are applying these same standards to people that fly on ... say ... Air Force One? What about private jets? Do you think someone like Bill Gates will be subjected to these kinds of screens? What about his wife and kids? What about people in the Obama administration (those that fly commercial that is)? Do you think they are being subjected to these screens? What about the other elites - any of the elites?

So, is it Justice when we have laws like the one they are using to perform a virtual strip search of American Citizens? How can this be Justice? Can this be applied equally to every American Citizen? The simple answer is no. Those who have the financial means to fly on private jets will not be subject to these screens. Likewise, those with "celebrity status" will not be subjected to these kinds of screens. Is this Justice?

Injustice anywhere is a threat to justice everywhere.

Martin Luther King Jr., Letter from Birmingham Jail, April 16, 1963

This is discrimination plain and simple. It may sound absurd, but, think about it. doesn't this law put those who cannot afford to fly, in a private jet or at the expense of the taxpayers, at a distinct disadvantage? Isn't that the definition of discrimination and injustice?

Fear is an amazing thing. And, it is a great motivator. People seem to be afraid of lots of things. Now, I believe in caution, and I am not saying that we should be taking all kinds of risks. But, I think we also have to be rationale about what we are asking the public - Innocent American Citizens - to do.

How do we measure the loss of liberty against the gain in security? More importantly, are we really gaining in security by giving the government even more control over us? And, doesn't it seem interesting that the federal government will not protect our borders, but, they are willing to have armies of TSA agents performing virtual strip searches and walking through airport terminals asking for our "papers"?

Terrorists succeed because we let them make us afraid. Nobody wants to die. And, its even more tragic when innocent people are victims. But, lets face it: lots of people are killed by violent crimes and drunk drivers every day - innocent people. Isn't a virtual strip search kind of like stopping every vehicle on a road, in the hopes that you are going to catch a drunk driver? How long before our benevolent government sees fit to remove more of our civil liberties in the name of protecting the population?

How is it possible that our Supreme Court upheld this absurd law? What's next? Government agents monitoring all our phone calls and email? Cameras on every corner recording our actions day and night? Police who can take you into custody and keep you for as long as they deem necessary? Biometric scans as we enter any public building? Transponders and RF-ID chips inserted into our bodies?

When the government uses these kinds of tactics to erode our civil rights, then what is next? Is it really better to have security at the cost of liberty?

First Things First

Well, if you read my latest (previous) post, you know that I am hopping mad over the money that was spent on this boondoggle to India and Indonesia. And, it was while writing that last post that I realized that our elected officials really do not give a hoot about us average Americans. They are gonna keep spending our tax money however they want; on what ever they want.

As I understand it, the Republicans have said that their first priority is to repeal ObamaCare. Well, I think we have a bigger problem than ObamaCare. I think the spending epidemic is the biggest threat we are facing as a country. And, I believe this is going to finally break the back of our Great Nation, if we do not act quickly to get things under control. In a triage situation, you always stop the bleeding before you try to treat other symptoms. Well, we are bleeding big time! And, we need to stop that bleeding before it is too late!

We need the Balanced Budget Amendment RIGHT NOW before it is too late!

I would rather see the Republicans put all efforts towards getting a Balanced Budget Amendment. I don't think anything else matters. A Balanced Budget Amendment would stop the bleeding.

Look, passing a repeal of the ObamaCare is a political tactic. The republicans want to keep a hot topic in front of the American voters, in the hopes that we will elect a Republican President in 2012. Listen up Republicans. We are onto the political games that both you and the Democrats are playing. And, we the people are not gonna put up with it anymore. We voted to put you into power, and we can vote to take you back out again. So, maybe its time to think about the people for a change. If you (the Republicans) want a platform for 2012, the Balanced Budget Amendment should be that platform. If you want to make the Democrats look bad, then do it by making them vote against the Balanced Budget Amendment. That will go a lot further than the repeal of ObamaCare. And, a Balanced Budget Amendment would force the kind of spending restraints that would get rid of ObamaCare anyway. It's a win-win scenario.

First things first - we need to stop the financial hemorrhaging. We need a Balanced Budget Amendment NOW. In order to make this happen, We the People need to stand up and make our voices heard. We have a new Congress coming in January. We need to let them know that the financial hemorrhaging has got to stop. We need to let them know that we want - no we demand - a Balanced Budget Amendment NOW.

So, I am asking you to forward this post to everyone you know. And, most importantly, I am asking you to forward this to your congressional representatives and your senators. We need a grass roots campaign for a Balanced Budget Amendment.

God Bless America!

Waste, Fraud & Abuse

That is what the government calls it when tax dollars are not spent properly: Waste, Fraud & Abuse.

So ... let's talk about this latest trip that the President is taking. As I understand it, the President is taking a trip to India and Indonesia. And, if the information I have heard from the media is correct, the price tag for this trip is in the neighborhood of 2 Billion Dollars. Seriously?

2 Billion Dollars for a trip? Well, as one of the tax payers, whose money you are spending, I certainly hope that there are going to be some jobs or other benefits to us average Americans as a result of this trip. Perhaps you could enlighten us average Americans as to the purpose of the trip, since we are the ones who are paying for it (after all). How is this trip benefiting the country?

Mr. President, How can you possibly think it would be okay to spend 2 Billion Dollars for a trip to India and Indonesia? Let's put this in perspective. What is the total annual budget for NASA? Well, I am not sure, but it seems to me that 2 Billion Dollars is a sizable percentage of the NASA budget. Yet, if memory serves me, you are cutting the NASA budget because we cannot afford the expense. You are cutting NASA's budget, but you are taking a trip to India and Indonesia? I dare say that the American people will get a lot more benefit from 2 Billion Dollars being spent with NASA, than by spending it for you to travel to India and Indonesia.

And you were wondering (after the elections) why the American people just threw out so many Democrats. Do you seriously not see how the American people would be upset with your decision to spend 2 Billion Dollars on a trip to India rather than spending the money on NASA? I have tried to figure out what rationale you could possibly use for spending this kind of money. Did it never occur to you that the average American is never going to understand why you are making this trip? Did it ever occur to you that this is NOT leading by example? People are worried about their jobs. People are worried about the tremendous amount of debt that is being racked up by your administration and the Democratic Congress. Are you that out of touch that you cannot see how this kind of expenditure would be received poorly by the average American?

To me, this is an expenditure that should not have happened. To me, this is a classic example of Waste, Fraud & Abuse. It also reaffirms to me that you and the Democratic party are out of touch and out of control. You are so set in your elitists ways, that you cannot see how obviously wrong it is to make this kind of expenditure; particularly when we have the kind of deficits we have today. Shame on you!

I did something this last election that I have never done before in my entire life: I voted AGAINST every Democrat on the ticket. That's right. I voted Liberatarion. I voted for Green party. I voted Republican. I refused to vote for one single Democrat. I voted for a Democrat in both of the previous congressional elections. Not this time. I not only voted against the Democrat congressional candidate, I handed out fliers for his opposition. I called and emailed every family member to be sure that everyone voted. I put more time and energy into this election than I have put into all the other elections combined. And, I am going to keep doing this while we are having the poor quality of elected officials that I believe we have today. I guess I was hoping the right wing media was wrong about you, Mr. President. I was hoping that at some point you would demonstrate your leadership.

How dare you cut the funding for NASA, and then turn around and spend this much money on a boondoggle. Don't bother sending me any of your campaign materials. I will be voting AGAINST you in 2012 - no matter who the other candidates are. This trip has proven to me that you do not have the judgment or integrity that I require for my elected president.