Happy New Year 2010 From The Refounding Father!

My Fellow Americans,

I want to wish you a Happy New Year now in the event I don't get to post until after January 1st.  I will be out of town again and may not have a chance to write.

What better way to ring in the new year than with a quote?  This one comes from Fernanda Miramontes-Landeros.  Once again, I attempted to do research on a person and came up empty.  I apologize (it's very frustrating for me too).

"Give thanks for what you are now, and keep fighting for what you want to be tomorrow."

This saying could not be more applicable to my life this past year.  Like my friend Kyle I spoke of on Dec. 16, I was unhappy with my career path.  I had a few different jobs that I wasn't particular fond of.  I kept spinning my wheels in an attempt to find happiness at ANY job I could.

Fortunately, for me, patience and persistence paid off.  In April 2009, I started a job I love.  Not only do I love it for the work, but for the hours.  At previous employers, I was required to work anywhere from 50 to 70 hours a week.  A $45,000 to $50,000 salary doesn't seem like much coming out of college when you spread it over 60+ hours.

You need to understand something about me.  I don't want you to get the wrong idea about me regarding hours worked.  I appreciate the flexibility this job gives me because I'm only required to work 40 hours per week.  It allows me to pay the bills while I pursue my true passion: real estate investing.

My goal in the next few years is to dive into the real estate market head first as an investor.  Working 60+ hours a week (including weekends at times) doesn't lend itself to pursuing a passion or second career.  Now, I am able to learn as much as I can about my market.

So, for me, this New Year represents a true new beginning.  I'm on a path.  I'm thankful for that.  I thank God every day for this blessing -- that's exactly what this new job is to me -- a blessing.

At my old jobs, I would never have had the time for opportunities like this -- I would be entirely too busy.  With this new job, though, I am able to go after something that will greatly affect the rest of my life.  For many people, pursuing their dreams is just that -- a dream.

I'm thankful that with this job, my dream of becoming a successful real estate investor has a much greater chance of becoming a reality.

What are you thankful for going into 2010?

All the best to you in the new year,

The Refounding Father


(Photo: Google)

Do You Feel Safe?

My Fellow Americans,

September 11, 2010 will mark the 9-year anniversary of the worst terrorist attack on American soil.  We all remember where we were that day and how seconds seemed to turn into hours.  We remember September 12, 2001 and how we stood united as one -- and were promised such things would never happen to us again.

For 8 years, we were not attacked.  For 8 years, any attack or plot that was planned was foiled.  For 8 years, we had a President who, while he failed on many things, did not come up short in the protection of the United States of America.

However, as 2009 comes to a close, how much safer do you feel now?  It appears as if President George W. Bush took America's sense of safety and protection with him to his Texas ranch.  I know I don't believe President Barack Obama (photo: Boston Globe) when he says we won't be attacked again.  I did believe Bush, though.

I'll ask the question again -- how safe do you feel?  With the latest known breach of airport security, how safe do you feel flying?  How safe do you feel traveling -- period?

It appears we were safer under Bush.  Maybe that's why former Vice President Dick Cheney always talks about his displeasure with Obama's ability to keep the country safe while trying to seek a middle ground.

So far, Obama has failed to protect us AND achieve a middle ground in anything he does.

Forgive me, Mr. Obama, if I side with Dick on this one.  After all, you haven't proved to the American people that you are serious about our protection (or our allies' protection).  You have, however, managed to dismantle what Bush and Cheney did in their 8 years in office.  Could that be why Mr. Cheney talks about you with such disgust?  Hmm, I wonder.

Obama had a chance to redeem himself with this latest foiled terror attack.  But, like always, he didn't seize the opportunity.  He had a chance to show the American people he was going to finally lead them.  But, like always, he can't and won't.

Then again, how can you when you don't speak to the American people until 3 days AFTER the foiled attack?  How can you when you rush the speech you give 3 days later?  How can you when you appear disgusted about having to do a speech at all?  How can you when you don't even show the American people enough respect and decency to wear a damn tie for the speech?

A foiled attack that I believe was the closest one to actually being carried out since 9/11.  And our President waits 3 days -- and then appears as if he wants nothing to do with any of it.  That's not a leader.

And what did Obama do during those 3 days you ask?  He played.  He played golf and tennis.  He enjoyed time with his family and friends.  And all this, while the country went through a terrifying time during their Christmas vacation -- Obama played.

What if Bush had done the same thing?  If 9/11/01 was really 12/25/01 -- and Bush was at his Texas ranch for Christmas vacation (watch this drive) -- instead of addressing the American people -- would the press not have a field day?  I realize the difference in the level of attacks -- and the fact that one actually took place while one was foiled -- but you can appreciate my rationale.

The point of all this is -- at the end of the day -- do you feel safe?  Do you feel safe with a President who plays games with our troops overseas?  Do you feel safe with a President who plays games with our national security?  Do you feel safe with a President who plays games with the security of our allies?

My Fellow Americans, do you feel safe with a President that plays games -- while his citizenry sit on the sidelines in fear?

Al Qaeda Claims Responsibility for Attempted Bombing of U.S. Plane

My Fellow Americans,

Despite our new format, in the event of important news -- I like to keep all of you informed. 

According to FoxNews.com, "Al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula has claimed responsibility for the attempted attack on a U.S. airliner on Christmas day, saying it was retaliation for a U.S. operation against the group in Yemen."

Check out FoxNews.com for updates involving this story and more.
 
May God Bless Us...

We The 'Sheeple?'

My Fellow Americans,

Ever heard of Bertrand de Jouvenel?  I didn't think so.

Nevertheless, I bring you a quote from him today that I believe sums up 2009 perfectly: "A society of sheep must in time beget a government of wolves."

De Jouvenel (photo: Wikiberal.org) was a French philosopher, political economist, and futurist.  He was a member of Jacques Doriot's Parti populaire français (PPF), which was pro-Nazi and supported facism (source: Wikipedia).

Obviously, I don't agree with de Jouvenel's political views.  However, I believe you can learn from all different points of view.  Sometimes it's good to get into the minds of the opposition.

Today's quote forces me to ask this: are we a society of sheep?  Do we just blindly follow our leaders off the edge of the cliff?  As long as they tell us they have our best interests at heart -- is that good enough?  Do we believe them?

From what I saw these past two years, I think there's a chance we may be waking up.  While President Messiah was elected with a blaze of glory -- with hope, change, and the promise of a better America -- this country appears to be turning it's back on our "fearless" leader.

But, are we really?  Can you really trust poll numbers that much?  I mean it always seems that the network that conducts these polls is never neutral -- there's always a political bias toward one party or another attached.

So, I ask the question again -- should the Constitution say: "We The Sheeple?"  This is a question I'm really having a tough time answering as I type this (photo: FlockOfSheeple.com).

We seem to buy everything else we're told -- outside of politics.  Whether it's the crap they throw together called "reality TV", the next big movie production, or the latest fashion trend -- we eat up whatever is marketed to us.

Don't we as a society believe we can think for ourselves?  Don't we think we deserve better?

We need leaders that talk with us -- not AT us.  We need to stand up and be heard -- not herded like sheep or cattle.

In 2010, let's go from "Sheeple" to "People" once more.

The B.S. that is Political Correctness

My Fellow Americans,

I'm tired. 

I'm tired of all the crap that I see unfolding everyday before my eyes in this country...in this world of ours.

As 2009 comes to a close, America has had a few more terrorist attacks attempted against it over the past year.  Fortunately, one was foiled on an airliner heading to Detroit this week.  But, another succeeded in killing 12 of those who fight for our freedom (Hassan pictured on left).

Those are some of the attacks we know about.  Those are some of the attacks we know have been planned against this country (Note: 28 attacks have been foiled since 9/11).

But, what about the others?  Let's not forget the missle-smuggling plot thwarted by the FBI in Philadelphia, PA.  Or the New York City terror cell that wanted to bomb synagogues in the Bronx.  Or the one that involved Colorado and NYC (Najibullah Zazi pictured below).

How long are we going to wait for another attack -- a much bigger attack -- to hit us?  How about an attack on the scale of 9/11 -- or worse?

For me, it comes down to P.C. -- Political Correctness.  I'm sick of it.  I'm sick of people messing with our national security because they are afraid of offending somebody in our overly litigious society.

I understand not wanting to get sued. 

However, I also understand the person who lost a loved one because some government agent was afraid to ask the Arab waiting in line at the airport to check his bag because he heard it ticking.

I'm sick of the b.s.  I'm tired of it.  We need to call a spade a spade.  If the Muslim extremist is Middle Eastern, Black, or White -- who cares?  I don't care about racial profiling.  If it's necessary, DO IT.

How many people have to die before we get over our fear of offending others?  These are people's lives we're talking about -- not picking the white guy over the black guy for an accounting position.

We need to get over ourselves.  We need to get thicker-skinned.  We need to ensure the safety of the American citizen.

And we can do that -- if we get rid of the b.s. and starting taking care of business.

(Photos: Google)

Happy Birthday, Jesus & Merry Christmas To All!

My Fellow Americans,

My apologies for being out of touch the past few days.  I have been out of town for work and the holidays.  But, now I am back and ready to continue our quest for a better America.

Tonight, I would like to share the following quote with you:

"Instead of being a time of unusual behavior, Christmas is perhaps the only time in the year when people can obey their natural impulses and express their true sentiments without feeling self-conscious and, perhaps, foolish. Christmas, in short, is about the only chance a man has to be himself."


This quote is attributed to a gentleman by the name of Francis C. Farley.  I had a very difficult time trying to find information on Mr. Farley, so I apologize for not telling you more about him.

Nevertheless, I felt Mr. Farley's words were important to share on this most special of occasions. 

Christmas is the time of year we spend with those we love most.  It is a time of giving and of sharing.  It is a time of remembering why the Lord Jesus Christ was born to save us from our sins.

For me, there are sentiments that I wish to share with you tonight.  While I may come across as a person who likes to teach others about how the country should function, I am far from perfect.  I also lead far from a perfect life.

I have a family that I have issues with -- a great deal of issues.  These issues have prevented me from spending the last two Christmases with them.  I'm not going to sit here and say that I'm proud of it.  I'm not going to say it's something I would wish on my worst enemy (which, at times, are members of my own family).

I'm sharing this with you tonight, not because I want you to feel sorry for me or anything...or because I'm going to sit here and lecture you about not doing what I'm doing.  We do enough of that during the rest of year -- getting involved in other people's business.

My point here, on this most sacred and holy of nights, is to say: I get it.  If you're going through tough times with family or friends -- I understand.

But, know that I chose my situation -- as did the members of my family.  I chose not to put up with their B.S.  I won't get into the details, but it came time for me to take a stand in my own life.   And I have done that.  My issues with them are not resolved, hence my decision to spend Christmas elsewhere for the second consecutive year.

Mr. Farley said Christmas is a time to share your true sentiments -- that's what I'm doing with you tonight.  I have wanted to get this off my chest for quite some time.  I want you to know more about me.  So, I'm finally deciding to share my family situation with you.

Please keep my family and I in your prayers this Christmas -- as I will do with all of you.  I appreciate your time as always.

Stay safe and have a very Merry Christmas.  Enjoy your time with the people in your lives if you are so lucky to be in each other's good graces.

Merry Christmas,

The Refounding Father


(Photo Source: Google)

John Wanamaker: The Father of the Department Store

My Fellow Americans,

I'm sure all of you have been in a department store at some point in your lives.  The department store has become an American staple known for its variety of goods at affordable prices.  It's hard to think what our lives would be like without the modern conveniences that we always seem to take for granted.

Today, I would like to introduce you to the "father of the department store" -- John Wanamaker.  While he is best known for Wanamaker's, the first department store, John Wanamaker was so much more than that.

What I rather tell you about John Wanamaker's life was his sense of duty as a U.S. citizen.  His business acumen aside, Wanamaker was a philanthropist and public servant (source: WanamakerOrgan.com).

His responsibilities as a philanthropist included:

• President of the Young Men's Christian Association (8 years)
• Board of Finance of the Philadelphia Centennial Exposition (Member and helped raise the first $1 million needed to stage it)
• Philadelphia and Reading Railway Company (Director).
• Presbyterian Hospital (Trustee, Fundraiser, built Children's Ward with his wife, & managed the University Hospital).
• Citizens Relief Committee (Chairman, helped people both foreign and domestic)

As a public servant, Wanamaker engaged himself in the following:

• Republican Party
• Committee to Elect General Benjamin Harrison to the Presidency
• Postmaster General (Appointed by President Harrison)
• Union League (Member)

• Republican National Conventions of 1912 and 1916 (Delegate)

There is a point to me showing you Mr. Wanamaker's achievements and accollades.  It's to show you what a great person can do.  It's to show you that capitalism isn't evil.  It's to show you that we really don't need the government to help us, we need more people like John Wanamaker to stand up.

Where is today's John Wanamaker?  Why isn't he or she more prevalent in society?  Can you name anybody who resembles what Wanamaker so graciously displayed during his time here?

If we tax people like John Wanamaker to death, thus forcing them elsewhere, what happens then?  What happens to that person's sense of duty to their country and fellow Americans?  What happens to their philanthropic spirit?

What happens?  It becomes nonexistent.  People tend not to be as charitable when they are nickle and dimed.

The answer to the Obama administration's questions as to how we can help those without healthcare comes to down one word -- TAX.  More taxes stifle innovation.  More taxes stifle growth.  More taxes stifle philanthropy.

What was it that Rev. Boetcker said in his Ten Cannots?  You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.  And you cannot help little men by tearing down big men. 

President Obama, Speaker Pelosi, Sen. Reid -- don't tear down the John Wanamakers of today.  If anything, help them do more in the way of serving the greater good.  Give them more tax incentives.  Cut taxes for their businesses.  Help them help others.

This country was built on the backs of people like John Wanamaker.  Don't steal their wallets while they're helping the needy.

Instead, make it easier for them to continue what they're doing.

(Photos: WanamakerOrgan.com)

The Impact of Attitude on Life

My Fellow Americans,

I want to talk to you today about attitude and how it can affect every aspect of your life.  Please read the following quote from Charles R. Swindoll (photo: Google), an American writer and clergyman (source: Wikipedia).

“The longer I live, the more I realize the impact of attitude on life. Attitude, to me, is more important than facts. It is more important than the past, the education, the money, than circumstances, than failure, than successes, than what other people think or say or do. It is more important than appearance, giftedness or skill. It will make or break a company... a church... a home. The remarkable thing is we have a choice everyday regarding the attitude we will embrace for that day. We cannot change our past... we cannot change the fact that people will act in a certain way. We cannot change the inevitable. The only thing we can do is play on the one string we have, and that is our attitude. I am convinced that life is 10% what happens to me and 90% of how I react to it. And so it is with you... we are in charge of our Attitudes.”

It's a lengthy one, I know.  However, I felt it was the best way to convey to you my thoughts for today.

Attitude shapes every part of our lives: from how we think about something to how motivated we are at our jobs.  We have seen attitude come into play with the economy, where hot shot Wall Street executives thought they were invincible.  We see attitude playing out in the healthcare debate, with Nancy Pelosi dismissing the Tea Party movement as "Astro-turf."  Everything and anything we encounter in life is related in some way (whether large or small) to attitude.

As Swindoll says, "...[L]ife is 10% what happens to me and 90% how I react to it."  Read that portion of the quote to yourself once more.  Now think about it.  It's so true.  The only thing we can control is how we react in any given situation.  What changes can YOU make in how you react to certain situations that may be unpleasant or uncomfortable?

Let me tell you something about attitude from my own experience.  I used to hate politics.  I told you about that when I started this blog.  Now, it's all I talk about.  I used to only care about watching sports.  Now, I watch Glenn Beck's TV show on the Fox News Channel religiously.  I can't get enough of it.

There was a time, however, that when people brought up politics, my mind went blank.  I would have a listless expression on my face and my eyes would glaze over.  I didn't care.  I didn't want to join the debate.  I didn't want to hear about the economy or the war.  I didn't even vote.

Then, in late 2008, my attitude changed.  I was introduced to Beck and Fox...to Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity.  I took an interest in the John McCain/Sarah Palin ticket.  I learned about what Barack Obama's beliefs toward taxes were.  And for once, I cared.  I saw how, if Obama were elected, he would increase my taxes.  As an aspiring small businessman and real estate investor, I saw this as a huge problem.  I wanted to learn more.

And learn more I did.  I read.  I listened.  I watched.  And I have been glued to the Internet, TV, and radio ever since.  I can't get enough. 

And how did all this happen?  My attitude had changed (for the better in my opinion).

Indeed, we are in charge of our attitudes.

Has there been a time in your life when your attitude changed about something -- whether good or bad?  Please, feel free to share your experiences with us.

Thanks,

The Refounding Father

Happy One-Month Anniversary to The Refounding Father!

My Fellow Americans,

On Nov. 16, 2009, I, Taylor Brown, started The Refounding Father.  No, this will not turn into an every-month occurrence like a new high school couple who celebrate an anniversary for each of their first 12 months (if they even get passed the first week).  I just wanted to take the time to thank all of you who are reading.  A blog is nothing without it's readers.  I'll be here as long as you keep caring about this country.

Thank you for your support.  And may God bless the United States of America.

Sincerely,

The Refounding Father

Failure: The Breeding Ground for Success

My Fellow Americans,

Today, I want to talk to you about success and failure. To help me explain my points, please read the following items:

1. You cannot bring about prosperity by discouraging thrift.
2. You cannot strengthen the weak by weakening the strong.
3. You cannot help little men by tearing down big men.
4. You cannot lift the wage earner by pulling down the wage payer.
5. You cannot help the poor by destroying the rich.
6. You cannot establish sound security on borrowed money.
7. You cannot further the brotherhood of man by inciting class hatred.
8. You cannot keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn.
9. You cannot build character and courage by destroying men's initiative and independence.

10. And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves.

The items you just read are called The Ten Cannots. Often misattributed to Abraham Lincoln, they were written by William John Henry Boetcker (1873–1962), who was an American religious leader, influential public speaker, and outspoken political conservative (source: Wikipedia). I introduced you to Rev. Boetcker (photo: Google) back in November.

For me, it feels like the Obama administration has turned the "Cannots" into "Cans." I mean think about it. For Obama, you CAN keep out of trouble by spending more than you earn (#8). That's been his entire presidency thus far. Or how about -- you CAN help the poor by destroying the rich (#5). This is exactly what he's trying to do -- destroy the so-called "Fat Cats."

To get out of this crisis, we don't need the government to help us. We don't need them to destroy others along the way.

What we need the government to do is -- let us fail. We need them to let the system -- FAIL. Because, and trust me on this, it will correct itself. The markets will rebound if we let them take their natural course.

Let me ask you this: have we not all failed at least once in our lives? I know I have -- many times.

Have we not had moments where we are faced with a choice: give up or stand up? There have been times when I did both.

By not having a similar value system that Rev. Boetcker talks about in the "Cannots," how are we supposed to succeed? The answer, my friends, is we cannot. We WILL not succeed.

Without being forced to pick yourself up at your lowest point...without looking failure straight in the eye and saying, "I don't choose this" -- you will never achieve true success. You cannot be handed it. And you cannot take it from someone else.

I had a friend, let's call him Kyle, who was faced with a situation in his life where he looked failure straight in the eye. Kyle was unhappy with his career and quit four jobs in the span of a few years. He admits that he was stupid and naive. He was still stuck in "college mode" and wasn't prepared to deal with the real world. He was in a career that he hated and desperately wanted to quit.

The problem was now his debt was piling up -- mortgage, credit cards, and student loans. Kyle decided to try a different career where the money wasn't guaranteed and invested some of his savings into it. And he failed -- losing all the money he invested in it. He was virtually unemployed because he was not bringing in any money for roughly a year. Money was tight and he could have just given up.

But, he didn't. He found another job earlier this year and things could not be better for him. It's in a more stable sector, so he isn't threatened by the current economic climate. He told me that he thanks God everyday for these gifts.

I say gifts because, while Kyle is certainly grateful for his new job and the fact that money is coming in, he considers his failures a blessing. They taught him something. They helped him grow up faster (something he desperately needed as a young guy). Before, it was just football games for him. Now, he cares about more important things that truely have an impact on his life. And he couldn't be more thankful for that.

While he will never put himself in the situation he did before, he is proud to say he was able to come out of it. He has goals. He has dreams. And he has a plan to get there.

Look at Cannot #10: And you cannot help men permanently by doing for them what they can and should do for themselves. This sentence could not be more right. We need to do it ourselves. We need to fail, pick ourselves up, fail again, pick ourselves up, and strive for that success.

There are no guarantees that we will succeed. There is not always an equal playing field -- some start out in a better position in life than others. But, the beauty of this country is that we can all achieve the same goal in the end. Hard work and determination can trump anything.

It is not the job of the government to provide for us. It's our job to provide for us. Rev. Boetcker knew this and his "Cannots" are proof of that fact.

Failure truly is the breeding ground for our future success. But, it's up to us to determine when and how we get there.

- The Refounding Father

Required Reading: The Banker's Manifesto of 1892

We (the bankers) must proceed with caution and guard every move made, for the lower order of people are already showing signs of restless commotion. Prudence will therefore show a policy of apparently yielding to the popular will until our plans are so far consummated that we can declare our designs without fear of any organized resistance.

Organizations in the United States should be carefully watched by our trusted men, and we must take immediate steps to control these organizations in our interest or disrupt them.

At the coming Omaha convention to be held July 4, 1892, our men must attend and direct its movement or else there will be set on foot such antagonism to our designs as may require force to overcome.

This at the present time would be premature. We are not yet ready for such a crisis. Capital must protect itself in every possible manner through combination (conspiracy) and legislation.

The courts must be called to our aid, debts must be collected, bonds and mortgages foreclosed as rapidly as possible.

When, through the process of law, the common people have lost their homes, they will be more tractable and easily governed through the influence of the strong arm of the government applied to a central power of imperial wealth under the control of the leading financiers.

People without homes will not quarrel with their leaders. History repeats itself in regular cycles. This truth is well known among our principal men who are engaged in forming an imperialism of the world. While they are doing this, the people must be kept in a state of political antagonism.

The question of tariff reform must be urged through the organization known as the Democratic Party, and the question of protection with the reciprocity must be forced to view through the Republican Party.

By thus dividing voters, we can get them to expend their energies in fighting over questions of no importance to us, except as teachers to the common herd. Thus, by discrete actions, we can secure all that has been so generously planned and successfully accomplished.

(Source: Circle of 13)

The Federal Reserve Bank: A Greater Threat to America's Security Than Al-Qaeda?

My Fellow Americans,

I want to thank you for sticking with me as I redefine my approach.  I believe this format will allow us to engage each other on a more personal level.  This way, we can really get a better idea where everybody (Republicans, Democrats, Libertarians, Constitutional Conservatives, Liberals, etc.) is coming from.

Today, I would like to focus on the Fed.  I want to discuss the reason I believe the Fed is a greater threat to America than any terrorist group.

It was President Abraham Lincoln who said: "The money powers prey upon the nation in times of peace and conspire against it in times of adversity. It is more despotic than a monarchy, more insolent than autocracy, and more selfish than bureaucracy. It denounces as public enemies all who question its methods or throw light upon its crimes. I have two great enemies, the Southern Army in front of me and the bankers in the rear. Of the two, the one at my rear is my greatest foe."

This is exactly what we have seen from Ben Bernake, chairman of the Federal Reserve (photo: Google).  He has overseen the biggest financial collapse in our nation's history.  Bernake's "oversight" allowed the following to occur: (1) unemployment to swell to 10%, (2) the housing bubble to burst (as Bernake sat on his hands), and (3) ridiculous "bailouts" to mismanaged companies like Bear Sterns and AIG.

All of this took place during Bernake's watch.  Earlier this month, Bernake went before the U.S. Senate in an effort to defend his job (he is up for reconfirmation at the end of December).  His complete inability to do his job led Sen. Jim Bunning (R-Ky.) to say this during the Senate's cross-examinations: "You are the definition of a moral hazard."

To use Sen. Bunning's words: the Federal Reserve, along with Bernake, is the definition of a "moral hazard."  We saw the Fed and the government "conspiring against" the American people as the economy has declined.  They want to tax us more with healthcare and cap-and-trade.  They want to control more of our lives.  They want to make things harder for us in the guise of making it easier.

To get out of a recession or depression, you have to create economic growth.  Stifling the American people only prolongs our suffering. 

But, maybe the idea is to stifle the American worker -- particularly the poor and middle class.  If you keep a certain class of people constantly in power and keep the majority from attaining the wealth and power, that majority will depend on the ruling class.  We still have a ruling class, America.  It involves the Fed, the government, and the greedy Wall Street and bank executives.

If you believe what Robert Kiyosaki writes in his latest best-selling book, The Conspiracy of the Rich: the 8 New Rules of Money, you know that the Federal Reserve "is not federal or American, it has no reserves, and is not a bank." 

The Fed can print money at will.  And that is exactly what it is doing.

Let Ron Paul audit the Fed.  Somebody needs to investigate what is really going on there.

I want to close with a quote from Thomas Jefferson: "A private central bank issuing the public currency is a greater menace to the liberties of the people than a standing army...We must not let our rulers load us with perpetual debt."

The founders certainly knew what they were talking about.  What say you, America?

The Purpose of The Refounding Father

My Fellow Americans,

I spent the weekend pondering what I wanted the real purpose behind this blog to be. So far, I feel it has been a mix of news, opinion, and commentary. However, I think I want to approach my entries to this blog from a different angle going forward.

In the coming weeks and months, I will be presenting you with more inspirational Americans and their quotes.  I will give you more of what I believe will really help re-found this country of ours.

While there are some out there who may feel we have not lost our way, I think we have been going down the wrong path for quite some time. It didn’t start with President Bush or President Obama. It goes much further than that. We will explore time periods in our nation's history -- from the founding of this country all the way to present day -- to figure out where exactly we went off course.

I would like this to be a journey we take together. I want to make it a kind of back and forth where everybody has a say. Let’s have a real debate for once. I’m willing to hear and understand every side of an argument. If you don’t agree with me, that’s fine. But, bring something to the table. Don’t attack me or another poster. State your case with some concrete examples.

I feel the best way to learn is from your mistakes and the mistakes of others. It’s only through utter failure that we succeed. I will share my personal experiences and the experiences of people in my life. I will use these experiences as a way to shape my explanations, theories, and arguments.

We need to stand up, America. We need to hold strong to our core values and beliefs. Our liberties are being challenged as they were at the founding of the United States of America. It’s time we as a nation say, “Enough is enough.” It’s time we do something about it.

As God as our witness, it’s time we take this country back – once and for all.

The Refounding of America begins today.

Sincerely,

The Refounding Father


(Photos: Google)

Need A Scape Goat? Blame A Billionaire (Or Two)

My Fellow Americans,

The attack on America’s rich is nothing new. And if you aren’t a liberal millionaire or billionaire, well then you are a prime target for ridicule if you oppose the left’s views.

Once again, it’s the Center for American Progress (CAP) and John Podesta (photo: Wikipedia) at the center of all this (if you watch Glenn Beck’s show on the Fox News Channel, CAP and Podesta come up often). In a new report published by CAP titled “The Billionaires Behind the Hate,” brothers David and Charles Koch of Koch Industries (photo on right: Google) are blamed for “obstructing and killing progressive reform."

Byron York, Chief Political Correspondent at The Washington Examiner and author of the book The Vast Left Wing Conspiracy, provided details about CAP’s report in his Dec. 10 article. The report accuses the Koch brothers of having a “long history of stopping progress,” citing the following reasons:

1. Opposing the stimulus and financing ads that call the recovery “pork spending.”

2. Working in conjunction with the group Americans for Prosperity, they helped organize some of the first Tea Party protests.

3. Helping to stop cap-and-trade legislation (they say the Koch brothers help fund a campaign against global warming -- the Climate-gate e-mail scandal).

4. The Kochs oppose the Democratic national healthcare plan. The report claims they “hijacked the health reform debate” at various town hall meetings.

5. And finally, the report says the Kochs oppose the progressive agenda because their businesses are big polluters and they have “a long family tradition of funding conservative movements to shift the country to the far right.”

York also notes that “the Podesta group’s attack on the Kochs is striking because the Center for American Progress is itself the product of politically-active billionaires.”

Who are these billionaires you ask?

As York says, CAP “never would have come into existence” if it weren’t for California-based Herbert and Marion Sandler. The Sandlers claim to fame is the fact that their company, Golden West Financial Corporation, “made billions engaging in some of the most irresponsible subprime lending of the first years of this decade.”

The Sandlers, who are close friends with our favorite House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, talked Podesta into taking the job at CAP (fun fact: Podesta was a law professor at Georgetown).

From there, York’s article only gets better. Our other billionaire? Who else, but George Soros? (photo: Wikipedia). In 2003, Soros spent “$30 million of his own money in a quest to unseat President George W. Bush” and “pledged to give the Center $1 million a year for three years.” Soros’ generous donation helped to get CAP off the ground.

America, if you aren’t outraged yet by all of this, you should be. I always enjoy seeing liberals using the “double standard” approach.

It’s OK for the Sandlers and Soroses of the world to use their money for liberal agendas. But, God forbid anybody use money for “right-wing nutjobs” and their belief in that pesky little document that founded this country – the Constitution.

It’s time, America. It’s time to stand up.

Quote of the Week & Commentary: Creamer Used 'Social Justice' to Justify His Means

"The first sign of corruption in a society that is still alive is that the end justifies the means."

My Fellow Americans,

We are coming up to the one-month anniversary of The Refounding Father on Dec. 16.  I want to thank all of you for your support thus far.  I'm having a great time putting this blog together and writing about our great country.

This week, our quote comes from Georges Bernanos (photo: Google):

Born in Paris in 1888, Bernanos was a French author, and a soldier in World War I.  Of Roman Catholic and monarchist leanings, he was a violent adversary to bourgeois thought and to what he identified as defeatism leading to France's defeat in 1940.

Because of his anti-democratic leanings and his allegiance to the Action Française (he was a member of their youth organization, the Camelots du Roi), from which he finally departed in 1932, he was able to see the danger in Fascism and Nazism (which he described as "disgusting monstrousness") before World War II broke out in Europe (Source: Wikipedia).

It's great what you can find when you type "quotes about corruption" in Google.  I found this beauty this morning and thought it tied in perfectly with one story in particular from earlier this week.  Can you guess which one I'm refering to?  Well, it's Robert Creamer and his book "Listen to Your Mother: Stand Up Straight! How Progressives Can Win."

The portion of the quote that is italicized is the focus of today's commentary: "...the end justifies the means."  It's funny, my mother always said this to me growing up.  I always thought it was B.S.  And today, for me, it is even more so.

While he claims his intentions were to support the cause and serve the greater good (what the left calls "social justice"), Creamer was involved in a "check-kiting" scheme.  As Glenn Beck noted on his TV show on Tuesday, "[b]asically, that's fraud."  Creamer stole $2.3 million from banks so he could pay his own $100,000 salary.

Do the ends justify the means there?  I don't think so.  Although, left-wing bloggers may say otherwise.

The "ends justify the means" philosophy, sometimes referred to as Consequentialism, comes from Niccolo Machiavelli (photo: Wikipedia).  He was an Italian philosopher/writer, and is considered one of the main founders of modern political science (Wikipedia).

My apologies for the brief philosophy lesson.  I do have a point.  Machiavelli "suggested and supported this pragmatic philosophy only for the purpose of stabilizing and improving governments" (read more here).  It was never meant for individual use -- especially not for "personal greed, profit, or self improvement."

Yet, that is exactly what we see happening -- especially on the left.  Robert Creamer is just one example.  But, time and time again we hear liberals using the term "social justice" to justify their means.

Let me make myself very clear: I am NOT a Republican.  I may vote Republican if I agree with a particular candidate's viewpoint (i.e. Ron Paul).  But, I consider myself a Constitutional Conservative.  The Republicans are just as guilty in many ways of corruption as Democrats are.

Don't let anybody fool you.  Don't blindly follow people when they speak in the name of "social justice." 

Watch what Obama, Pelosi, Reid, and Creamer DO, not what they say...because, sometimes, the ends don't always justify the means.

Controversial Law on Illegal Immigrant Youth to Take Effect in San Fran

My Fellow Americans,

I hope you enjoyed the letter I received yesterday.  Please share it with everybody you know.

As for today, I was thinking of what to cover.  It seems like we've done healthcare, climate change, and even Obama winning the Nobel Peace Prize with "deep gratitude and humility" to death.  I've provided some updates on those topics for you to read.

But, I wanted to talk about something happening in San Francisco.  I found a short article on the San Francisco Chronicle's website, so I'll include it here:

"A controversial measure that dictates how San Francisco police deal with underage illegal immigrants goes into effect Thursday.

The law, approved by the city's Board of Supervisors in October, prohibits law enforcement from turning over minors to federal authorities unless they are felons.

Mayor Gavin Newsom vetoed the legislation last month, saying it violates federal law. But the supervisors overrode his veto. Proponents say the measure preserves the minors' right to due process.

The law replaces a policy Newsom's administration abandoned in 2008, when the city was accused of protecting from deportation young offenders who went on to commit other crimes."

America, correct me if I'm wrong, but what RIGHTS do you have under the American judicial system if you are illegal?  What right do you have to be in the country at all?

It's funny, people get on Maricopa County's Sheriff Joe Arpaio (pictured below) in Arizona saying what he does is illegal.  Has anyone ever thought how many American lives he's saved?  We'll never know the number.  But, with Phoenix being the kidnapping capital of the U.S. and the Mexican drug trade right at his doorstep, one can understand why Arpaio does what he does.

We know the reason the SF Board of Supervisors and the federal government don't want to do much to deter illegal immigration.  It's very simple.  They need to keep these people in poverty.  They need them to vote for them.  If you read the letter from last night, you understand why.

These illegals have no rights other than those due to them as human beings.  They are not citizens of the United States of America.  If they came here through the proper legal channels, I don't think anyone would have a problem with that. 

I don't really care for the argument that they pay taxes and don't receive the rights citizens do.  Become a legal citizen and you can enjoy the rights we do.

I hate to admit it, but this is simply just the progressives at work.

(Photos: Google Images)

The Barack Obama Presidency: An Epitome of Black-on-Black Crime

My Fellow Americans,

Tonight, I would like to bring you a guest post from a close personal friend of mine.  She is an inner city school teacher who really cares about and loves her job.  She asked me to share the following letter with you.  Please let me know your thoughts.

- The Refounding Father


Special Guest Post: An Open Letter to President Obama

Hello All,

I would like to take a moment and introduce myself and then explain why I am posting. I am a teacher in the Philadelphia inner city school system. I love my job and my students. Yet, I come home most days angry and frustrated at the war that I am fighting and not winning.

Most of my students come from the projects and exist solely on welfare. They see terrible violence on a daily basis and do not understand why anyone should aspire to hold a permanent job. The people that work in their lives come home stressed, live on very little, and have to struggle for years before they see any awards. Yet their mothers get to lay on the couch, watch TV, and stay out all night partying. Can’t image which one I would chose.

These children don’t know what living in a clean home feels like, they don’t know what having a Christmas tree in the living room with presents under it looks like, and they don’t know what it feels like to earn something and be proud of an accomplishment. They are abused in so many ways. The worst of it all is that they don’t know what they don’t have.

When President Obama ran for office, he made promises to the ghettos. He visited them often, telling them how they are going to take back America. I admit: I was always against what he wanted to do with America. Yet, I listened as many teachers tried in vain to convince me that he would help these children and make their lives better.

Tonight, I listened as Glenn Beck spoke to Harry Alford, the CEO of the National Black Chamber of Commerce (pictured left). Alford stated he was proud to be a black man. He was proud of what his grandparents and parents overcame and he was right to be. They struggled, they fought, and they worked. And because of them, he can stand tall and be proud of who he is.

I realized then why I was so angry. My students have a similar history -- they should be proud. My students have lived to see the first African American president -- they should be proud. My students have amazing examples of strong African American leaders in every aspect of American life -- they should be proud. They aren’t though. I understand that all the teachers thought and hoped that Obama would provide that pride -- but he has failed.

I want to be clear: there is a class system in America. We have our Bush’s, our Kennedy’s, and our Vanderbelt’s. In that group we also can include Congress (face it you can’t be poor and get elected).

Then, there’s the middle class (which includes most working people from our top lawyers to our blue collar workers).

Finally, we have our poor. They live in our ghettos and our burned out shells. They live off of welfare and neglect to use the education system. The people that voted for Obama thought they were voting for the old American dream. They thought he would end the class system. They thought he would pull up the poor and middle class and give everyone the opportunity to be part of that elite system.

Obama is failing them and they still don’t see it. He speaks about quality education from the confines of his office, but he hasn’t once stepped into a Philly school since becoming President.

He certainly hasn’t missed a trip to any other country. He has apologized to the world for America, but he hasn’t come into the ghettos with a job. He protects the unions, which we learned are racist. He talks and threatens to force healthy eating on all of us, but he isn’t putting in vegetable gardens in the ghettos -- just his own backyard. While my children eat chips for breakfast and lunch, his are eating fresh fruit and veggies.

For all the liberals out there, I know you’re going to ask me where was I during Bush’s Presidency. All I have to say is: on Jan. 8, 2009 Bush stood in a Philly school (pictured right). Not one school is in a particularly great area. He got to observe the success of No Child Left Behind.

Yes, the former president messed up in a lot of ways, but at least he fought for the American Child. This president is concerned about every other nation’s children and has continued to ignore the very group that voted for and believed in his “hope campaign.”

I ask you, Mr. Obama, when will you stop fighting for the elite? When will you take care of your own friends and family? When will you start helping the people that actually got you in the White House?

Beyond that, Mr. Obama, when will you stop catering to the world and start fixing the problems here at home?

My students are failing. They don’t see a purpose to education. They don’t know what to place their hopes and dreams in. They have no pride in being either African American -- or for that matter just plain American.

I ask you, today, stop paying off your buddies and be a real man and fix the problems for the poor.

Let’s start with using the money you are spending on our prisons and give incentives to people to get off welfare, get good grades, graduate high school, go after the college degrees, and raise their children.

Give incentives to the workers – lower their tax burden!

Who knows, maybe if the parents start caring about their child’s school grades, hold a job, and live in a real home, they will start to want more than a pair of stolen Ugg boots.

Mr. Obama, stop trying to appear like a President and start being one for once!

Sincerely,

A Devoted Educator


(Photos: Google Images)

Are College Degrees Becoming Meaningless?

TIME: College Degrees More Expensive, Worth Less in Job Market

My Fellow Americans,

How many of you have a college degree? 

According to an article by Kristi Oloffson of TIME Magazine, it's probably close to 7 out of 10 of you: "[i]n 1973, a bachelor's degree was more of a rarity, since just 47% of high school graduates went on to college. By October 2008, that number had risen to nearly 70%."

The problem with your "run-of-the-mill" undergraduate degree nowadays is -- everybody's got one.  In today's job market (what's left of it at least), potential employers EXPECT applicants to have a college degree.  As stated above, less than half of high school graduates went on to get a degree in higher education.  Today, it's almost three-quarters of all high school grads. 

A problem we have run into is that schools often attempt to push kids through -- at all levels of our school system. In the article, Oloffson mentions Marty Nemko, a career and education expert who has taught at U.C. Berkeley's Graduate School of Education. According to Oloffson, Nemko "contends that the overflow in degree holders is the result of many weaker students attending colleges when other options may have served them better."

Nemko says: "There is tremendous pressure to push kids through...That piece of paper no longer means very much, and employers know that. Everybody's got it, so it's watered down."

The circumstances surrounding the surge of college grads is similar to the current demise of the dollar.  As the Fed prints more money, the value of a dollar is diluted.  Basically, there are too many dollars chasing too few goods.

Going back to our college grads and the job market, we can say that there are too many grads chasing too few jobs.  Couple that with a bad economy where many companies are not hiring or have flat out failed, and we can see how it's getting tough for young 20-something's out there. 

It's especially tough if your parents aren't rich and you didn't get a full scholarship.  As Oloffson notes: "Two-thirds of all students now leave college with outstanding loans; the average amount of debt rose to $23,200 in 2008."

Those in student loan debt won't be happy to hear that employers don't see the undergrad degree as "...the ace it once was; [now emphasizing] work experience as a way to make yourself stand out."

In my opinion, some students may be better off exploring other opportunities after high school or college that allow them to get business skills.  This could be a chance to start your own business -- either from an idea you have or buying a low-cost franchise (if you're more of an artist or writer type, that's fine -- get the skills to start a business around those professions).  After all, I firmly believe it will be the small businesses that get us out of this recession.  What better way to put your degree to use?

Take The Refounding Father's advice: start a business and work a side job to pay the bills.  Use savings down the road to invest in real estate so you protect yourself from a weak dollar.  Use your head.  There is still hope for you college grads out there.  This recession will end.  Now is the time to lay the groundwork for your future success.

God Bless You.

(Photo: TIME)

Senate Nixes Public Option

My Fellow Americans,

The public option plan is dead.  Well, at least the government-run option plan that was proposed in November is dead.  In an announcement late Tuesday night, Sen. Harry Reid still called it a public option, but, as Chief Congressional Correspondent Susan Ferrechio of the Washington Examiner puts it, "what Senators have struck a deal on is a far cry from the government run plan proposed last month."

But, don't get too excited just yet.

Ferrechio adds: "The plan, devised by a group of moderate and liberal Senators, would replace the government run option with national plans modeled after the Federal Employee Health Benefits Program.  The plan would also expand Medicare to people age 55 and older."

While it's not the "government-run option plan," it will still be run by the government.  It's similar to the stimulus-style jobs plan that Obama announced yesterday.  They're not calling it "Stimulus II," but that's basically how it will be designed and carried out.  The healthcare plan will still cost much more than what they say it will -- like all government-run programs do.

Ferrechio explains further, saying that "[w]hile Reid declared the Senate had reached "broad consensus" on the plan, he has yet to come up with the 60 votes to pass it." 

We saw how liberal Democrats reacted earlier this week with the abortion amendment.  Now as, Ferrechio says, "liberals ... are angry about having to compromise on the public option." 

Sen. Russ Feingold, D-Wis. was particularly bitter about the lack of a public option in the bill: "We need to have some competition for the insurance industry to keep rates down and save taxpayer dollars. I will base my vote on the bill on the entirety of what is in the bill, and whether I think the bill is good for Wisconsin."

Listen Russ, we all know it's not that the idiots in Washington want to keep rates down for insurance companies to foster competition and keep taxes low.  Please, give the American people some respect.  You don't care about capitalism.  The private insurance industry will be put out of business after Washington completely takes over the American healthcare system.  But yes, I know, you can't tell that to your constituents in Wisconsin.

America, the fact of the matter is they will end up putting a version of the public option in this bill.  And in all likelihood, a healthcare bill with a public option AND abortion amendment WILL pass.  It will.  They know how to play with the language.  And it's not like anybody reads the bill anyway, right?

Keep an eye on this.  If you think they won't do it, they most certainly will. 

They don't care about you.

(BONUS COVERAGE -- CBO: 10 million will lose employer health coverage under Senate plan).

(Photo Source: The Washington Examiner)

Obama Uses Jobs Speech To Attack, Blame Republicans

My Fellow Americans,

At the Brookings Institution today, President Obama gave a speech explaining his new jobs program.  In effect, it will basically be "Stimulus II." 

But, it wasn't just the fact that the President actually thinks another stimulus will work (I mean, how is the first stimulus working out so far?).  It was that Obama used the speech to attack and blame his Republican counterparts.


Obama stated: "We were forced to take those steps [to jump-start the economy] largely without the help of an opposition party which, unfortunately, after having presided over the decision-making that had led to the crisis, decided to hand it over to others to solve," Obama said, starting his address with a history lesson on the roots of the recession."

The problem with Obama's assertions center on one major point: the President urged former President George W. Bush and Congress to pass the Toxic Asset Relief Program (TARP).  He actually signed on to TARP himself when he was a senator.

Per the FOX News article, the President went on to say that the crisis was caused not just by economic weakness but the "weakness in our political system" -- one corroded by the "bitterness of partisanship," and the "endless campaigns focused on scoring points instead of meeting our common challenges."

Republicans slammed Obama for dipping into the federal piggy bank once again to finance a jobs program that might or might not work:

"This is stimulus two. They won't call it a stimulus," House Minority Leader John Boehner, R-Ohio, said.

"The policy of this administration is if you've got it, spend it," said House Republican Conference Chairman Mike Pence, R-Ind.

In my opinion, the Obama administration is desperate.  Nothing they are doing is working.  Stimulus #1 has done anything BUT stimulate.  The speeches the President gives, along with the constant campaigning, have only led to a lower approval rating (one that is only 1% higher than Sarah Palin's).

They need another victory other than "Cash for Clunkers."  Whether they even would consider that a victory, I'm not sure.

What the President fails to realize time and time again (whether out of arrogance or complete ineptitude) is that ANOTHER stimulus will NOT work.  If you want to really help jobs (which I honestly believe this President does not), offer tax cuts to small businesses. 

I'm sure I don't need to tell you that small business are the backbone of the United States.  Between 60% to 80% of all new jobs over the past decade have come from small businesses.

Give tax cuts to small businesses...so they can create new jobs...since over 60% of all new jobs have come from small businesses over the past 10, 11 years.

Sounds like a common sense approach to me.  But, that would be asking too much of this administration.

(Article Source: FOX News; Picture Source: Brookings Institution)