SHELL GAME III

SHELL GAME III
THE PROBLEM AS I SEE IT.
-----As I look into government more, the less I like it. Lol. A constant thread in my posts refers to the threat posed by special interests. This is not the threat as we commonly think of it. We have always had special interests, in and of themselves they are not bad, even useful. They are a tool and like any tool the use determines the utility of it. The special interests provide needed information to our representatives to help them in the decision making process. All well and good.
-----What I think of when I hear the term “special interest” is what I’ve been conditioned to think. That is big companies paying out bribes for votes. That does happen and is well documented. Makes great fill for the evening news. That is our system at work, we already have a way to ferret out the bad apples. Still all well and good or at least easily fixable.
-----What I’m talking about here is the insidious corruption of the process of legislation by an effort to take the legislative process out of the hands of the elected representative (our only link to power), and putting it in the hands of the special interests.
-----In the constant ebb and flow of politics between the two “Visions” of our government one side then the other takes the lead. It is in this way that “we the people” tend to stay away from the extremes that have ruined other countries. We even seem to like to give the Legislature to one and the Presidency to the other more often than not. We seem to instinctively know that consolidating power is a bad thing. It seems to work. Let’s be honest, compared to a Stalin or a Hitler or a Pol Pot, Ronald Reagan and Bill Clinton are not in the same league as far as extremists go. The key that allows this is our form of constitutional government. The checks and balances which are there to stop one branch from taking control.
-----The Inmates Running The Asylum. What I tried to show through example in the previous two posts is the creep of bureaucracy (inmates) into the legislative process (asylum). Make no mistake the framers of the Constitution knew full well about big all controlling government. The idea that life long bureaucrats bring to the table is one of condescension and a disdain for the masses and the here today and gone tomorrow politician. They may not say it but it is there. Why shouldn’t they run their department? They have the experience, they have the #s. I get the distinct feeling that they feel they are the actual keepers of the secret flame. A lot of citizens feel that way also. For example why shouldn’t the leaders in education tell us what to do? Well as I tell my liberal friends what about letting the general of the Army tell us what war to fight? “We the People” together have the ability any bureaucracy lacks. The ability to see what is better for the country vs. what is better for the bureaucracy.
-----These bureaucrats are the people who actually run the mechanics of government. While each department is headed by a Cabinet Head, appointed by an elected official, they are transitory and unless given an overwhelming electoral mandate they are not able to change the bureaucracy they head. The government just keeps doing what they do regardless or in spite of who won the election. There are 20 million employees of government at all levels. I wonder how many of them think that smaller government is a good thing? Those individuals by themselves have common sense but their union reps and their reps and the leaders of the bureaucracy progressively lose theirs until what we have are the radical rants of the extremists. On both sides I may add. These leaders of Bureaucracies are the ones writing and putting the majority of the legislation in front of our Elected Legislators to sign. Without the “loud” backing of “We the People” those bills get signed. Without “We the People” picking tough hard common sense Legislators with the good of the Country in mind, those bills get signed.
-----This government has endured and will endure and yes even flourish if and only if the public gets more involved. But what can one person do? Again as before look at Ghandi, and all the other “greats” of history. For more current inspiration, look also at the person responsible for the pictures of children on milk cartons, the guy from the Most Wanted show, the list is long. The first thing I have done is to say to myself that I am an American and that I have rights under the constitution of this country. Unalienable rights that no government can take away unless I let them. As a "freedom person" I can then with all the authority God and the constitution have given me state my beliefs and try to persuade others. That is what I’m doing. Feel free to do the same.
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Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative

SHELL GAME PART II

SHELL GAMES PART II
These “shell games” are just politics. These games are played by all. Just business as usual, nothing wrong you say? You're welcome to your opinion. I've posted some links below for your perusal. Well tomorrow I'll say what I think is wrong about the process. The part of the game that I’m blogging about today is the first part. Step one of the process to get the agenda started. The introduction if you will, which only glimpses the end result of the agenda being pushed. This part just sets up the framework of and players who will be pushing the agenda. It will state in flowery terms the wonderful goal for which it claims t6o have found a pathway, usually at a reasonable expense, if expense is even mentioned at all. Below are links to “Comparative Worth” or “Fair Pay” legislation in the Mi. and US legislature respectively.
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Comparable Worth enabling Mi. legislation
-----link-----
http://www.rightmichigan.com/story/2008/4/24/104548/122
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the “Ledbetter Fair Pay Act,” enabling on the National level.
-----link-----
http://www.uschambermagazine.com/content/080424.htm
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The agenda behind Michigan HB4627 is pretty transparent as Rightmichigan points out by who is to be on this deciding board. Below is a snippet I found from the NOW website, which I will link after the snippet.
-----snippet-----
“The Michigan House Democrats decided to celebrate
Equal Pay Day on April 24 with press conferences in 5 cities
to announce the introduction of 3 pay equity bills, HB 4625-
4627. Michigan NOW leadership were speakers at several
of the events. Representative Joan Bauer (D-Lansing) is the
sponsor of the lead bill that amends the Elliott-Larsen Civil
Rights Act to prohibit an employer from failing or refusing to
provide compensation equally for work of comparable value
in terms of the composite skill, responsibility, effort, education
or training, and working conditions because of religion,
race, color, national origin, age, sex, height, weight or marital
status. HB 4627 sets up a Pay Equity Commission - Michigan
NOW would be a statutory member! These bills have been
introduced for the last 22 years and gotten through the House
just once. The bills passed the House Labor Committee and
await floor action. “
-----link for above-----
http://www.michnow.org/public_html/oakNow507.pdf
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Notice all the similarities in the wording ect between the Michigan and the National legislation.
-----Found this yesterday.
Link to May 4, 2008 article about forming a group to set "Reasonable Profits Board".
Asks the simple question of what is unreasonable about the oil profits and shows some facts.
-----link-----
http://mjperry.blogspot.com/
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The Oil companies are already being taxed The amount may surprise. The link below is an excellent source as to those profits.
-----link------
http://otherclub.blogspot.com/2008/05/windfalls-are-where-you-find-them.html
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Hillary uses the justification that the extra tax money would be used for alternative energy research or some such noble cause. Not mentioned was the amount of money Oil is putting into alternative energy already. Maybe to pay the taxes on their profits they will have to stop their efforts into alternative energies. Below is 1.5 Billion being invested by one Oil company.
-----link-----
http://www.reuters.com/article/pressRelease/idUS88755+14-Apr-2008+MW20080414
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Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
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PS. Always check right hand side of blog under "Daily Stuff..." for additional links about current posts.

SHELL GAMES --- Part I

The "news flash" I posted previously for May 3, described the “Senate Shell Game”. Simply stated the bill is the first piece of enabling legislation that states the problem then puts money enough forward to “study” the plan in this case a million or so. And on my part why would Senator Biden say “less than $1 million per year”? Why a year? How long does it take to do a study? Snippet below
-----snippet-----
Advocates of the Global Poverty Act are claiming that it does not really commit the United States to anything... that it won't really cost anything... that it simply requires the President -- in conjunction with the Secretary of State -- to "develop" strategies to alleviate world poverty.
In fact, Biden's report incredulously states, "implementing S. 2433 would cost less than $1 million per year..."
Technically he's correct... after all, it doesn't really cost that much to develop and formulate strategies...
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Then the article goes on to ask: “Why formulate or develop a strategy if there is no intention to follow through on that strategy?” A fair enough question. It then brings to light the connection to the UN's agenda.-----snippet-----”"The bill defines the term 'Millennium Development Goals' as the goals set out in the United Nations Millennium Declaration.”
The rest of the article extrapolates what could happen if we “follow through on that strategy”. I agree with the article that our Freedom will not be protected by following through with this.
-----Let me be upfront here. This Alert is an attempt to get money for CFIF so they can continue their work. Is there work worth it? You are the sole judge of that in this country that is still free. I plan on donating $20 to the cause. Will it succeed? Probably not but I figure I have to start somewhere. Like my blog, maybe this alert will help to start planting the seeds again of individual freedom and the idea that it takes effort and vigilence to keep and nurture that freedom.
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Regards, Live Dangerously Be A Conservative
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ps. My next article will deal with other enabling legislation. I feel that this is where action has to be taken in the legislative process in order to nip bad legislation in the bud. Hopefully then I will be able to formulate a positive course of action, an alternative if you will to "bad" legislation.lol Check out the current daily links at the right of my blog (newest on top) to see where I'm headed next. Thanks