A Freedom Poem!

I ran across this, thought I'd share!
God Bless!
Capt. Bill

Freedom

Freedom- Is there man born that lusts not after liberty?

Freedom- Are there anywhere souls who crave not to be free?

Those who would not look up to the sky and to God vow-

One has the right to live one's life the way one chooses how?

Freedom- Man's noblest dream beset with well intent restraints...

Freedom-Is often lost midst " for your own good" refrains...

My freedom taken from me in the name of so called " moral right"

But to what end am I enslaved for someone else's fight?

Liberty "adjusted"- for whatever moral cause, and though they be..

If I have no right to choose, I have not liberty-

If I so choose the path to hell, I alone must so decide....

Else that we call our "liberty" mocks all those who ever died....

For Freedom.

Freedom- Our natural right and yet so new a concept to our human minds!

Freedom-Each owns oneself- so simple an idea- so basic- it defines

All human interaction in that briefest, simple thought-

"To live one's life as each one decides the way one ought"

Freedom- It doesn't give the right to interfere by force or fraud-

Freedom- It is not reserved for those who say they're serving God!

Freedom.......The very word, and all the word implies

Does not assume the one that's free is good or pure or wise!

Liberty is for the brave and strong, the weak and coward too,

And rich and poor alike, the fainthearted and the true-

All can huddle underneath the banner bought and paid for by our blood

All are free to make a choice to live, be it bad or be it good-

It's freedom.

Norma Jean Almodovar

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LIFE Begins 11/1/11

My head is swimming from attending the first evening of the TEAM leadership convention. It's only been five hours of a three day seminar and already I'm bordering on information overload! One of the things I admire about Orrin Woodward, (#7 leadership guru in the world and co founder of the TEAM), is his ability to meld information from so many sources and form an original thought. He, with the help of his policy counsel partners, have created a system that adds value in the eight major areas of people's lives, and created a business model that rewards you for adding value to others. They've found a niche' between four major industries, Leadership, Networking, Life Coaching, and Community Building. Each on their own represent opportunity for those willing to put in the effort, but each on their own suffer from major shortcomings. Orrin and company have found a way to unite the strong points of each of these economic powerhouse's and give birth to a plan that features a better you as the product!

So let's say your trying to explain to someone how this works. Who in their right mind, (please note I said right mind), would turn down the opportunity to become a better individual? Here's the kicker, it pays them handsomely to do it, and they get the spiritual reward of helping others. It's absolutely genius! You'd have to be suffering from hidden intelligence to say you can't see where this could benefit you.

The official inception of the L.I.F.E., (living intentionally for excellence), program doesn't begin until 11/1/11, but that's not stopping people from becoming a part of something that's never been done before. There are more people in attendance at this pre-launch than I've ever seen, and the recognition of achievement for advancement is far above normal. But then how can it not be, what fool turns down the opportunity to become a better me, and get paid for doing it? Personal growth has just become more attractive, and easier obtained.

We can all see that society and people in general are facing challenges no other generation has been presented before. Can anyone of us honestly say we are comfortable with what's going on around us? The easiest way to combat this adversity is to be prepared, and being the best you, you can be, is a great place to start.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Communication And LIFE!

Most of TEAM is on the road or in airports heading for Columbus, Ohio to gather and learn about our new project. We are going to introduce people to LIFE; Living Intentionally For Excellence, through the eight F's. Faith, Family, Finance, Fitness, Fun, Freedom, Following, and Friendship. When you achieve proficiency in all these areas then you've learned to Live Intentionally For Excellence. So while some of you are engrossed in the travels to unite for this cause I thought I'd relay a great story I read, borrowed from Pastor Stephen Davey's book Overcoming The Me Attitudes.

A man knew his wife's birthday was fast approaching, and while trying to find a clue so to honor that occasion with the perfect present, he asked his wife-"Honey if you could have but one wish, what would you want?"

She thought for a moment, laughed and said, "I'd like to be eight again."

On the morning of her birthday , he woke her and whisked her off to the local Waffle House for a breakfast of waffles smothered in strawberries and whipped cream. The headed to the local theme park and rode the Cyclone, the Death Slide, the Screaming Loop, The Wall of Fear, and everything a wide eyed child could imagine their perfect day could include. She staggered out of the theme park, stomach churning, but this was a celebration not to be hindered by momentary nausea. The cure was a trip to McDonald's to enjoy a thick chocolate milkshake, fries, and a Big Mac. Afterwards they trotted off to the theater to watch a Disney animated movie complete with all the trimmings, a giant Pepsi, a bag of popcorn, and the big theater size box of Good and Plenty- topping off the perfect day any eight year old would remember for a lifetime.

Exhausted, she stumbled into the house and collapsed on the bed. Her husband, satisfied he'd provided the exactly what any eight year old could desire on her birthday, leaned over his wife and whispered,"How's it feel to be eight again?"

She cracked one eye, weary from the day's activities and replied, "I meant my dress size!"

Communication is the key!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Having A Hard Day?

Joni Eareckson Tada;
As a teenager, Joni loved life. She enjoyed riding horses, hiking, tennis, and loved to swim. But on a hot summer day in July 1967 (Sunday July 30) that all changed. While on a beach with some friends, Joni dove into Chesapeake Bay not knowing how shallow the water was. She broke her neck—a fracture between the fourth and fifth cervical levels—and became a quadriplegic, paralyzed from the shoulders down. While her friends were preparing to go to college in the fall, Joni was fighting for her life and facing the fact that she would have to live the rest of her life in a wheelchair. Joni’s rehabilitation was not easy, and she struggled through it for the next two years. She was angry, struggled with depression, and had frequent thoughts of suicide. She participated in various rehabilitation programs that taught her how to live with her disabilities, and she immersed herself in God’s word to become spiritually strong.

Joni is a writer and a much sought after speaker;once after an engagement at a woman's Christian conference she was approached, "Joni you always look so together, so happy in your wheelchair, I wish I had your joy!" Joni responded, "I don't do it. In fact, let me tell you how I woke up this morning. This is my average day: After my husband leaves for work at 6 a.m., I am alone until I hear the front door open at 7 a.m. That is when a friend arrives to get me up. While I listen to her make coffee, I pray. Lord,my friend will soon give me a bath, get me dressed, sit me up in my chair, brush my hair and teeth, and send me out the door. I don't have the strength to face this routine one more time. I have no resources. I don't have a smile to take into this day. But You do. May I have yours?"

"So ....whatever joy you see today was hard won this morning. And in reality, it's only what I begged from God today."

My challenges, whatever they might be, just got a whole lot smaller. How about yours?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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A Budget Plan!

This debt crisis thing just has me enamored. It's very revealing the attitude in Washington and exposes that they just don't get it. They think it's okay to have an open line of credit, and have absolutely no intentions of living within their means, well most of them don't. Here's the worse part, we're not complaining as much as we should. How can freedom loving Americans sit back and allow politicians to run this country into the ground silently? Perhaps they just don't understand the math, maybe if all those zeros and commas weren't in place it wouldn't confuse them.

Here's an easy example!

Your annual income is $20. You spend $35. You need to either cut the spending or raise your income, because you've been borrowing the extra $15 bucks from others for so long, you owe them $140. The people you've borrowed the money from have said, "no more, enough is enough." You've asked your boss for a raise, and he told you your making all he can afford to pay you. What does a reasonable individual do?

First, you make a budget, and live within those guidelines. Secondly, you sell off any assets you've accrued to pay down that debt. Third, you never borrow another dime. Period, end of discussion. It's not rocket science, it's called living within your means. Is it going to cause some sacrifice? Absolutely! Is it worth it in the end? Freedom, economic or otherwise is priceless, that's why people die trying to obtain it.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill!

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We Need A Balanced Approach

I'm starting to think some of the representatives in Washington think we are a herd of blooming idiots. How does a man stand before the country and profess that there is no need for a balanced budget amendment using the excuse they have balance the budget before under previous administrations, then not offer a balanced budget proposal? If Washington does in fact have the ability to live within it's means, then prove it! Provide us a budget, right now, not sometime in the future that reflects that! History has shown us that Washington will spend every last dime and then some, if we don't handcuff the spending. It's not rocket science, it's simply a lack of discipline.

Somewhere along the line, our representatives in DC mistook tax revenue as something they were entitled to, not as something they were elected to be good stewards of. We need to correct that kind of thinking. They have lost their way, and it's not a recent occurrence. They say most individuals can withstand adversity, but few can handle fame. We don't have those few in office.

The tool the spend thrifts use to tempt the few that are truly fiscally responsible, is the word compromise. Compromise is a great tool for settling disagreements on anything but principles, and living within your means is a principle. Most of the governments of the states understand and practice a balance budget approach, so to me that proves that if you take away the printing press, it's quite an obtainable proposition. It's just that the will to discipline themselves is not there. So since they cannot practice control, we need to place controls over their spending. It starts with a specific budget, one that is balanced and defines where the cuts need to be made. That needs to happen right now.

There are a limited few who understand these principles, and their opponents will demonize and mock them. The liberal media will call them out and try to incite the mob to make emotional decisions, rather than rational ones. The opposition will cry out how they threaten your entitlements, those same entitlements they enacted to get voted in, and those same entitlements that are dragging our country deeper into debt. Let me remind America, it wasn't the fiscally conservative that got us into this mess, but it is the fiscally conservative that'll get us out. They are not the enemy.

God Bless!
Capt Bill

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Your Words Betray Your Intentions

Something has surfaced in theses debt ceiling negotiations, it's an underlying tone that I think most people have missed. It hides just under the surface of the words our President and the representatives of Congress use when discussing making this deal. It's very subtle in a way, but if you really dissect their conversations, it stands out. When they speak, the verbiage they use indicates that this is not the last time they will have to go through this process. That my friends is unacceptable! We cannot treat a spending ceiling as a temporary measure, it's a control put into place that limits the government. This limit demands we live within our means, and to not do so will certainly be more devastating than any terrorist attack on our freedom.

The shackles of deficit spending constrain our freedom like no other tyrant could. There is an old saying, "you can discipline yourself, or have someone else do it for you." It's time we applied fiscal discipline and cut our spending so we can live freely within our means.

If you notice there is talk on both sides of the isle of appointing a "super Congress," a board of bi-partisan Congressmen to push through financial legislation. This not only violates the principles this country was founded upon, it shouts they are hardly done spending beyond their means. This is completely unacceptable, and just one of the indicators they have no intention of standing on a balanced budget. Watch the language the use, they are not done pillaging the treasury.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Living Intentionally For Excellence!

Today I was musing over the definition of wealth. I get to spend a great deal of time in the company of some very wealthy individuals, it's one of the blessings my life's path has opened for me. I've found that the particular crowd I associate with are a bit outside what I would have considered normal. They do extraordinary thinks in life, and I think that's the key to acquiring wealth. Now most of you are probably thinking I'm talking about someone with massive amounts of income, and I am somewhat, but the true definition of wealth isn't about money. The common thread all these individuals share is their spiritual wealth, the rest it seems, resulted from getting that part right. Even if the money didn't follow the spiritual lifestyle, they were still wealthy!

A great example of this is someone who gives themselves wholeheartedly to the Lord, like a nun or a monk. They live by the most meager of means, they've given all earthly possessions to the Lord in return for eternal wealth. Like I've been told by my mentor, "you can discipline yourself, or you can have others do it for you." I've found self discipline to be more pleasing, no one likes to be told what to do or how to do it.

So back to the economically blessed. They didn't get to being in the top 1% income bracket by conventional means, these people live by a code of ethics and as close to flawless character as I've seen here in this lifetime. I'm here to tell you nobody's perfect, we are all born sinners, but as a rule they walk a very tight line. Hence the best of individuals gravitate toward them, and want to do business with them. Success leaves clues. They also live by the code I first heard from Dallin Larsen, founder of Mona Vie. "If your blessed, be a blessing." Unlike the silver spoon crowd, or the abundantly wealthy in Hollywood, they feel no guilt for the blessings God has bestowed upon them, because they give back. They are charitable to an excess and do it without expecting news clippings or awards. It's humble, behind the scene, charitable works that they expect no recognition nor praise for.

It's a fantastic example they set, and the exact reason the money follows. So personally, I do the best to walk in those footsteps and here's the best part; if the money never follows, I'll still be wealthy in spirit!

Come join us as we launch, "Living Intentionally For Excellence," or life for short. Where the only product is a better you!

God Bless
Capt. Bill

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Self, Be Tamed!

I just had one of the most incredible conversations of my life. It highlighted the exact principle Orrin Woodward taught me not so long ago that many of our daily issues could easily be resolved if we would just take self out of the picture. Maybe because I was now aware and alert about keeping self at bay, that this individual's conversation torqued me up so much. It was a constant rant about "I." "If I hadn't done this," or "if I wasn't there for that," then there was the ever boring, "it was a good thing I had....." This was tucked in between complaints about how difficult life was for them. The failure of this person to realize that the reason life was so difficult was they were guilty of taking their own advice. The results they had, they had earned! It was the only part of the conversation they failed to take credit for!

It never ceases to amaze me the number of victims of their own thinking I come across. It's all I can do sometimes to not grab them by the shoulders and say,"stop that." Seek those who have the fruit on the tree you desire to harvest. Then learn everything you can from them, and go emulate it. Find counsel from those who have earned the results you want. Humble your ego and accept that the decisions you were responsible for making, granting you the outcome you now enjoy. Remove self from the picture and become the humble student. These are the keys to improved results.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Giant Killer!

There isn't a man or woman on earth who doesn't have a goliath looming before them they need to face. That big ugly monster that lurks in the back of your mind , terrorizing your thoughts and sometimes controlling your actions. It paralyzes most with fear, but that's where it's strength comes from. The longer your inaction, the stronger it becomes. Soon that big ogre grows to be a fire breathing, lighting bolt throwing, all consuming untamable beast, just because the course of action was inaction. You can stuff your fears in a closet and hope they go away, but sooner or later that closet door creeps open and as hard as you tried to ignore what's inside, it will begin to consume you once again.

Goliaths confronted shrink in size, and usually disappear. Those issues that haunt you only have the power over you, that you cede to them. Exposure and confrontation are a goliath's worse enemy. All the embellishments the goliath lives on cower meekly away when brought into the light of day. Oh, goliath will stand boldly before you at first, demanding to know, "what do you want?" But when you face that goliath boldly and apply the pressure of wanting to slay him, the ball goes into your court. You now control the game, and your goliath feels his power slipping away. Action cures fear! When you load your sling and fire that confrontation at goliath, he falls to the ground with a thud, no longer able to haunt your thoughts and control your actions. Those concerns become a giant corpse, ready for the fires of cremation.

You're then liberated, a free man or woman, able to function outside of the power of goliath's fear. Your thoughts and actions continue without the restraint of a nagging thought process. Remember that fear only live though the nourishment you feed it. Confront it and it starves.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Interchangeable

"Do not separate the text from the historical background. If you do, you will have perverted and subverted the Constitution, which can only end up in a distorted, bastardized form of illegitimate government."- James Madison

Man he must have been a profit! Or is it they battled with the same ideology back then we do today? Isn't it amazing the same people who are trying to redefine the Constitution are also the same ones who attempt to change the interpretation of the Bible? They also twist and turn the text of the Bible, ignoring the historical background to justify their needs, be it some form of reparation, or just sinful behavior. This is why my friends, it's so important to know what you believe, and why you believe it. You'd be amazed how quickly those advocates of misinformation turn heels and run when confronted with some well placed facts. Don't accept the preaching of deception, whether it's from the Bible, or the Constitution it was based upon. The words speak for themselves, there is no need for a creative spin. We hold these truths to be self evident, because they are simple principles, for simple men. We don't need to be told what they really meant by what they wrote, we can read it for ourselves.

You could take the quote from James Madison above, and replace the word Constitution with the word Bible, and the word government with the word faith, and it would apply equally. Apparently the enemies of the text are the same.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Another Lesson From History!

Addressing a federal budget problem is nothing new, way back in 1808 , Albert Gallatin, Thomas Jefferson's secretary of the treasury, was tasked to remove the obstacles of trade between the states. He outlined a $20 million federal project to construct roads, and a canal from the Atlantic Coast to the Great Lakes. The problem was Jefferson was a small government kind of president, and this was a staggering outlay. It actually amounted to five times of all the other outlays under his administration. It was his stimulus plan! Instead of burdening the fragile economy of a new nation with audacious federal spending, he found a way to justify it and still remain true to his small government principles. The very first thing they did was cut federal spending 50%. Yes, that's right, they cut it in half. Galatin dismissed all the excise tax collectors and ordered every federal agency and cabinet officials to slash expenses. They then formed a partnership with private concerns and state efforts to minimize the expense. What a novel idea! You see there are no new problems in government, just solutions you've not yet researched. If Jefferson could cut his staff and operate his bureaucracy by 50%, how is it today they find 40% a ridiculous proposal? The short answer is a lack of will. They don't really want the results.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Compromise!

The word compromise has been tossed about recently, especially when the discussion of raising the debt ceiling is the topic. I find it interesting the Democrats want the Republicans to compromise now when just a short time ago they reminded them that elections have consequences. I guess when your in the majority, it's okay to dictate law, but when you find yourself in the minority, it's important that both sides come together in compromise.

I'm not opposed to compromise, as long as it's not your principles your compromising on. The fundamental principle that won the House majority by the Republican party was America wanted fiscal responsibility. That's a principle they shouldn't compromise. We've been doing that a lot, compromising our principles, and the result shows. The notion of, just this once, or we need to do this as a one time fix, has led us astray from the foundation our country was founded upon. A great example is back when I was a child, it was looked down upon to be a unwed mother, morals were loosened and it became acceptable to live in sin, not long after the gay community became some sort of ethnic group that deserved equal rights despite the law, then the military was told to repeal "don't ask- don't tell" (a compromise in itself), civil unions were introduced, which led to some states permitting same sex marriage, and now they tell us that the history of the transgender and homosexual contributions are mandatory parts of the curriculum in California. We've compromised our principles way beyond the point that our forefather would have considered sane, and outside of the Bible's definition of moral. But wasn't that the objective?

Some call it the "camel's nose under the tent," some refer to it as 'the law of creeping generalities," either way it begins with compromising your principles. If the left had it's way, and it's trying, we would compromise our nation right into a Socialist country. Just how far will we be nudged toward Socialism before we say enough is enough? Compromise is fast becoming a threat to our freedom. Next time one of our representatives in government is asked to compromise, I pray they answer like this;"elections have consequences."

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Be A Legacy!

While continuing my study of great leaders, naturally George Washington is a must read. George is an incredible individual in so many ways, but his standout achievement comes after he conquered the British. Washington was in a position to make himself a king, he was wildly popular with just about everyone in the colonies, and he controlled the army. His peers noted that if after he'd completed his campaign against the British, his true test of character faced him. Would he seize power? Others had used opportunities like this to acquire power, wealth and fame. Look today at the tyrants of the Middle East, their whole country is ready to lynch them, yet they won't cede power. They only remain in power because they control the nation's army. One would think someone could point to how George Washington rose to the title "The Father of Our Country" a revered historical figure, the apex of morality and character, and a man who his contemporaries held in awe throughout history as an example of greatness. What was his single greatest accomplishment? He ceded power, not once but twice. He not only turned down the chance to be king of the new world, but after he was overwhelmingly elected to the office of President, he walked away after just two terms. He did what he felt was best for his country, leaving behind a legacy.

Do you think the tyrants of the embattled Middle East could use a dose of this kind of long term vision? Has anyone pointed out to them how to leave a legacy that'd last generations? They opt for short term power and wealth, and ignore their place in history. Which lasts longer, the title "Father of our Country," or irrational tyrant? Perhaps it's time they looked at the lessons this great man left behind for the world to emulate, and step down for the good of their nation.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Looking Through The Smoke!

I'm sure the deficit talks have most Americans confused, but then they are designed to. The President and his left wing arm are constantly screaming we need to raise the taxes on millionaires and billionaires. I'd like to do what a good reporter should do and ask; why? What has changed that we have to raise the tax rate? Let's examine that....

The left will tell you that we had two wars that were unpaid for, and the Bush tax cuts that created the deficit. So as an inquiring mind I'd like to note, President Bush had the same two wars, the same housing crisis, and basically the same conditions for the better part of his eight year administration. He had to bail out the banks, and stimulate the economy. So how did he never run up a deficit over 400 billion dollars a year? This President has created a trillion dollar plus deficit ever year he's held office. Truth be told, he's run up 4.3 trillion in debt in 30 months.

Now why do they bellow at the top of their lungs to anyone who'll listen they need to tax those evil rich people? I propose it's to deflect attention from the real issue. If it's not a tax income issue, (and it's not), then it has to be a spending issue. Who spend that money? Harry Reid, Nancy Pelosi, and Barak Obama is the short answer. Now do you see why they want to hold the upper income bracket as the evil doers? If America ever figures out they were responsible for the debt, their careers are ended. If they alienate a small portion of the voting block and appeal to everyone who envies them, they are betting the majority aren't smart enough to see through the smoke.

The problem is, and this holds true for most liars, they cannot keep their lies straight. President Obama stands before the nation and tells us he cannot guarantee Social Security payments will be posted on August third if this issue isn't resolved. Harry Reid gives a speech before Congress telling the nation Social Security is solvent for the next forty years, and there is no need to address that entitlement shortfall. Who's lying? Well I suggest they both are, mainly because their lips are moving, but as an addendum; Social Security checks have to be processed three days before they are due to have ample time to get where they are going. That means they have to be posted prior to the Armageddon date when this country is suppose to become insolvent.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Ponzi Scheme!

A Ponzi scheme is a fraudulent investment operation that pays returns to separate investors, not from any actual profit earned by the organization, but from their own money or money paid by subsequent investors. The Ponzi scheme usually entices new investors by offering returns other investments cannot guarantee, in the form of short-term returns that are either abnormally high or unusually consistent. The perpetuation of the returns that a Ponzi scheme advertises and pays requires an ever-increasing flow of money from investors to keep the scheme going.

The system is destined to collapse because the earnings, if any, are less than the payments to investors. Usually, the scheme is interrupted by legal authorities before it collapses because a Ponzi scheme is suspected or because the promoter is selling unregistered securities. As more investors become involved, the likelihood of the scheme coming to the attention of authorities increases.

Doesn't this describe the Social Security system? I have to tell you Medicaid and Medicare come to mind also. If John Q Citizen tried to sell this to the public, they'd find themselves in jail! So why is the federal government permitted to deceive us?

Social security was passed or enacted in 1935, a plan by the democrats and President Roosevelt. The United States of America existed for 159 years prior to the passage of this farce; how do you suppose those citizen's survived?

Medicare and Medicaid were enacted in 1965, again a democratic plan under President Johnson. And yet again America had existed for 189 years without such programs? What changed? How did we get talked into morphing into a dependent society, from a free and independent nation?

We find our country on the brink of financial disaster, up to our ears in debt, and the biggest consumer of our nation's tax income are these three programs. We can't dissolve them because not unlike a crack addict, our population has become addicted to the entitlements. It's the gift the democrats gave us that just keeps on giving, or should I say taking.

That's not the worse of it! We have looming over our heads the health care legislation this current administration passed. As history has shown us, it'll also become a parasite that sucks our nation's budget dry. In fact it just maybe the straw that breaks the camel's back. It doesn't take a prophet to foresee this disaster. We need to repeal this legislation in the next election cycle. We also need to do exactly the opposite of what the President broadcasted in his speech yesterday, and produce legislation that demands not only a budget, but a balanced one. Did anyone else find it interesting that our President decided all by himself we don't need to pass and amendment to the Constitution demanding Washington produce paperwork that restricts it to living within it's means? I know we have such a history of doing so, especially since the biggest offenders are in office right now. They've not only failed to pass a budget, they've racked up the largest deficient spending in America's history. I have to believe that's related.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Buy Bonds!

The deficit discussions are quite the topic of discussion recently, and understandably so. It's as if your spouse went out and maxed out every line of credit your family had acquired, then came home and told you you needed to increase your income to pay the exorbitant payments. What makes it worse is the money was spent on a closet full of gowns, tuxedos, and ball room shoes, that are totally frivolous. It's not like the garage was stuffed with tools capable of creating income, the money went without thought and can never be fully recovered.

Everyone has an opinion as to how to resolve this matter. Some of the top 1% believe they aren't paying enough taxes. I happen to believe we have a spending problem, and to increase our debt limit is akin to getting an additional credit card to make payments on one you can't already afford. I do have two solutions for those who wish to be taxed more. First fill out the short form and deny yourself the tax loopholes your currently enjoying, and if that doesn't ease your conscience enough, purchase whatever amount of treasury bills required to avoid that guilt your feeling. This is specifically pointed toward Warren Buffet and Ben Stein, who apparently want to complain about how little they pay in taxes, but fail to resolve the situation personally.

Now that I've bought up the bond issue, there was a time back in history when Americans were encouraged to buy bonds to fund the war effort. You could actually volunteer to have a payroll deduction to support the your country financially. The upside to this program is you weren't just throwing money out of the window, it was an investment, that had a return. How about we launch a program to buy bonds to lower the deficit? Why sell them to foreign countries when we have the ability to self fund that market? Why allow Wall Street or China to profit from our credit needs? A slick marketing program to remind the American population just how easy it is to show patriotism and invest in our country is all that's required. If we're going to owe money, we might as well owe it to ourselves. If every American who was capable of doing so, did, the bond market would skyrocket, and the money would stay within our own economy.

Now this does not address the main problem. We need to quit spending! The first thing any financial counselor does is put their client on a budget, and track their spending. Is there any reason America doesn't have a budget? Better yet, can anyone justify why there isn't a balanced budget? Not to do so is simply irresponsible. There isn't a human with a lick of financial sense that doesn't know this to be true; so why is Washington exempt from this logic?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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The Truth Be Told!

One of the leadership keys Orrin Woodward, (the #7 leadership guru worldwide) has always taught me, is to ever have any influence as a leader, you have to have credibility. In short you have to be a man, or woman of your word. Deception or half truths will eventually come to light and harpoon your ability to lead. Today I sit here pondering how politicians could possibly hope to hold a constituency while they spin truth to fit their agenda, knowing someone, some where is going to blow it to pieces? It saddens me that we have put our full faith and trust in such individuals. I liken it to finding out that a person I've grown to believe in and admire turns out to be a cheat and a liar.

We place our money, our security, and our freedom in the hands of these individuals, and in return for this trust we get lies and excuses. While I'm sure none of us would allow our children to be cared for by someone we can't trust, we've blindly given something just as valuable to people who honestly shouldn't be left alone with anything of value. It's disheartening, and I only hope my prayers are answered that we raise the bar on those we empower with our freedom.

I don't know if politicians intentionally try to mislead the public, perhaps they are simply misinformed. But that same politician has a responsibility to surround themselves with advisors that they can trust to feed them the right information. Not to do so pulls into to question their decision making skills. Again not a quality of anyone who should be leading a flock of chickens, let alone the country.

It's time to make a big deal out of those who attempt to mislead. We can no longer tolerate liars in positions of power, because what you tolerate, you by default, accept. We are approving bad examples for our children, the country, and the world.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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A Financial Terrorist!

It never ceases to amaze me the lengths politicians will go to, to achieve their agenda. They are well schooled in mob psychology and know exactly the buzz words to vomit into the media circus to strike fear in the hearts of a voting block. It's the lowliest of tactics, especially when it's an utter falsehood. How can a leader be trusted when they knowingly mislead their constituents to achieve their agenda? The short answer is you can't, that individual suffers from an ethical deficiency. That's our President, he decided to strike fear in the hearts of the elderly, disabled, and the veterans who served our country faithfully by proposing there might not be enough money to write the checks that supply their income, attempting to make the Senate and House knuckle under the pressure. That's akin to telling a child they better go to sleep or the bogey man in the closet will pounce on them. Derisive fear mongering at it's best. It's like telling a liberal we are going to start adhering to the Constitution verbatim, just to see what shade of pale they turn. Unconscionable!

He'd still devote federal income to redesigning the food pyramid, or campaigns like the First Lady's; Move On program, rather than pay those who rely on federal assistance. "I can't guarantee those check will be written, " claims our fearless leader, yet this financial shenanigans would continue.

Aid to Western Europe $342 million
Eastern Europe $1,502 million
Near and South Asia $11,778 million
Africa $6,022 million
Far East and Pacific $594 million
Now under yet another classification we have foreign and military aid....$49,057 million and $15, 466 million respectively. We're looking at better than 3/4 of a trillion dollars of our tax money being shifted elsewhere and the President stands before a nation and isn't sure he can see his way clear to write checks to our citizens? Just to put that into perspective that's $20 billion a month. That's how our fear mongering leader prioritizes the stewardship of our tax revenue. Lovely!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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The Glass Ceiling!

The closer the deadline looms till the debt ceiling comes crashing down on all of us, the more I feeling it's not such a bad thing. Despite the media effort to gin up emotions, and fear monger the public, it all boils down to if the agreement isn't reached our country will be forced to live within it's means. The monthly revenue from income tax will cover all the debt payments, again despite the media reports, it'll fund social security, medicaid, and medicare, and the payments to the armed forces. The treasury will then have to prioritize exactly what does, and doesn't get paid next. Is it more important to send funds overseas to countries that hate us, or fund the inspectors at the FDA? Is the funding of the study of shrimp on a treadmill, or do we pay the salaries at the Dept.of Education? Do we fund federal road projects, or study the mating habits of the Tee-Tee fly? Are the billions Nancy Pelosi stashed in the Health Care bill for it's enactment important as other government needs, and do we really need to spend the unspent stimulus money?

Of course the left leaning media will pick up the talking points from the spendthrifts in government who shudder at having the purse strings drawn shut. Using fear tactics and claiming we are going to default on our debt, crashing world markets, and basically halting the whole universe. That's completely untrue, and bears a strong odor of dishonesty. Apparently the thought of a government living within it's means, and tightening it's belt frightens everyone on the left, but to date the conservatives are standing with a tight jaw and the posture of fiscal discipline. Bravo!

Back during the World Wars, citizens were asked to ration everything for the war effort. They halted the production of cars, rubber was taken from an available commodity to a war effort need, and metal was only for our boys overseas. That was a nation enduring sacrifice for the good of our country. They rationed everything, and lived on the bare minimum, then were asked to, "buy bonds" to financially support the cause. It was a effort taken up by the media, not used to gin up the mob and sway emotion to subvert it, but deemed as an act of patriotism. I wonder if the media could get behind shared sacrifice like that to save the country now?

If the debt ceiling isn't raised, the world will not cease to turn. It's actually a great opportunity to fix this nation's economy. It will certainly cause pain, just like any serious diet or financial restructuring always does. Have we become so soft we've forgotten what it is to delay our gratification?

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Where Did They Go?

I'm not really sure which of the two gems I encountered this weekend makes my head want to explode more, the bumper sticker that read, "unions = jobs," or when a public official try's to scam the public with, "we need to create jobs with more infrastructure."

Okay outside of the bureaucracy the union creates to suck money out of it's members; what job has the union ever created? The display of this bumper sticker is just another example of how the IQ of people dips in the presence of a mob. The union reps handed them out as the wage earners walked out of the last union meeting mesmerized by the promises of higher salaries and enhanced benefits. Put this on your car to show your stupidity, I mean solidarity. It's hard to overlook the countless examples of union's decimating industry. Just look at where the booming steel industry of Pennsylvania went. How about the rise and fall of Detriot and the auto industry. Are they better off because of the union influence? Wait, I stand corrected unions do create jobs.....overseas.

Now the infrastructure ditty. Why isn't America's infrastructure already maintained? Each and every time we fill our vehicles with gasoline there is a tax collected by both the state and the federal government to maintain and build new roads. When we depart and land at the airport, another tax is collected to support the infrastructure. Every mode of transportation has a tax applied to it for exactly that reason. That money has been put into a general fund and squandered on other projects. It's an accountant's nightmare the way our government maintains stewardship over our tax revenue. They should all have individual lock boxes and not be intermingled. When a fund isn't supporting it's needs, then it has to be addressed. The way it's set up, the public has no idea what went where, and I propose it's done on purpose. Why should road tax revenue support anything but what it's meant to support? Trust me, with the income off fuel sales we should be driving on roads and bridges paved with gold. Instead it's a slush find for our politicians to apply for things like shrimp on treadmills, or the mating habits of the tee tee fly. There should be no need for additional stimulus money to build America's infrastructure, those should be some of the most secure jobs in our country. There is a never ending flow of income to support them, applied properly. Next time you go thru a toll booth, or fill your tank, take notice of the condition of the road or bridge your driving upon. Ask yourself where that money went!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Just Sit Back And Relax...........

Growing up we were subject to cigarette ads on the boob tube. Just lighting up one of those cancer sticks could morph you into a tall dark cowboy, perched upon your steed, the fantasy man of many a female. Or it empowered you to be an independent woman, comfortable with yourself; certainly you've come a long way baby! Even the most vanilla of programming on the TV featured someone lighting up in prime time, but that was not to last. The government decided that was far too influential on it's population and banned those ads from the airwaves, compromising and banishing those threats to society, to the pages of magazines. Soon advertisement of smoking was even evicted from that form of media as well. It wasn't long after the government turned it's regulatory sights on the alcohol industry, trans fats, calorie counts in restaurants, and now they are threatening foods that contain sugar.

This my friends is what they mean when they refer to,"the slippery slope." None of this recent attack on what we eat and drink has been approved by either the people or Congress. It's been slipped into being through the policies of several federal bureaucracies, Health and Human Services with the cooperation of the "Regulatory Czar." Little mini dictatorships that work outside of the confines of the powers granted to Congress by our founding fathers.

I'm certain they have nothing but the best of intentions for the citizen's of America, it's natural to impose your will on the ignorant lower class. Well, if your an elitist that thinks you have a better understanding of what's best. Similar to Hitler's intentions, for the good of the human race. One superior society, free from the power of choice. Castro, Mao, they've all had the common good of the people in mind when they imposed their doctrine. So how long before they decide that opposing opinions aren't really in the best interests of the citizens of the United States? Removing dissenters first from the television, as we all know that form of indoctrination is addictive, I bring you back to the cigarette ban as proof. Then the all powerful radio airwaves might provide just a little too much influence on the general public for their own good. Next it's newspapers and magazines, then the all powerful Internet.

It's just a short step away! The FCC and the Regulatory Czar just have to get into concert and decide they need diversity. Wait! You don't say....We have a Diversity Czar in the FCC? They are seeking to control the Internet with something called "Net-Neutrality" too? We may never have to worry about freedom of choice or freedom of speech again. Not to be concerned, it really doesn't matter.... Here come watch some more of the Casey Anthony verdict, or maybe you can be distracted by the debt ceiling argument. After all, your input will soon be spoon fed to you, food and information, if you allow.....................

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Out Of Our Hands!

Dear Al Gore;
I am the Lord, that is my name!
I do not yield glory to another, or my praise to idols.
For a long time I have kept silent, I have been quiet and held myself back.
But now, like a woman in childbirth, I cry out, I gasp and pant.
I will lay waste the mountains and hills, and dry up all their vegetation;
I will turn rivers into islands, and dry up the pools.
I will lead the blind by ways they have not known,
along unfamiliar paths I will guide them;
I will turn darkness into light before them and make rough places smooth,
These are the things I will do;
I will not forsake them.
But those who trust in idols,
Who say to images, "you are our gods,"
will be turned back in utter shame.
Isaiah 42:8, 14-17

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Individual Liberty!

In my study of the "mob mentality," I've come across some outstanding points; information that defines how and why liberals and union act as they do. It's not an accident they use parallel methods, since their goals are not unlike. They both seek to control, tell you how to vote, live, and spend your income (all to the benefit of their existence).

Have you noticed they both seek to assemble people together? Community organizing is the term they label this mob assembly with. They do this because in a crowd, "the foolish ignorant and envious persons are freed from their insignificance and powerlessness." - Le Bon

Also the mere fact that a person is part of a crowd means, "their intellectual standard is immediately and considerably lowered."-Le Bon

So it becomes much easier to sway their opinions while they follow the herd. They lose their ability to reason, in fact, they tend to reason backwards. It's like being at a football game and evaluating the quality of the play, not because you saw an outstanding effort, but because the cheerleaders jumped up in exuberance. The crowd then follows their lead.

The liberty we enjoy can only be maintained if we keep individual expression. Our own thoughts, our own actions. Safety in numbers is an example of "for the common good," a principle of a socialistic society, not the rebel individuality of the free. Your an outstanding individual, don't conform to the comfort of the herd. Remember members of the herd always suffer the same fate, slaughter.....

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Then And Now!

"The people who have trampled on the liberties of a republic often began their campaigns by being overly concerned with the rights of the People and helping to end tyranny."

Sound familiar? Does it apply yet today in politics and Washington? It was written way back in the 1700's during the founding of our nation. It could very well be the definition of those on the progressive left. Yet it was taken from The Federalist Papers!

" Those who fear for the rights of the People- a fear that comes from the head, rather than the heart- will be exposed as being more interested in popularity, than in the public good."

Again the wisdom of the Federalist Papers, and extremely applicable to today's world. Isn't the public officials who propose to the citizens the gloom and doom that their opponents are going to take away their rights? Example; "The republicans are going to take away grandma's social security check and throw her out on the street. It's the right of our senior citizens to that money." First of all, "rights" come from God and can only be taken away by God. If it's truly a "right," it cannot be denied or granted by mankind. Secondly, besides being grossly untrue, it's a prime example of the above statement. Fear mongering to gain popularity, I.E. votes.

Times have changed, but the heart of the politician has not. While these tactics are more effective due to our total access media, they are still the same old story our forefathers were dealing with 235 plus years ago.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Judgement Day!

The world was shocked and angered yesterday, when the jury in the Casey Anthony trial returned a verdict of not guilty after a short deliberation. Why? Basically the media ginned up the mob and filled them full of emotion. Not unlike the early days of our country, when people's emotions were stirred up to lynch mob like anger. That's how innocent people get hurt! Mobs go off half cocked, without the facts and become judge, jury, and executioner. If you were angry at the outcome, shame on you! You were played, your emotions were used, and you rationalized your decision. It's exactly how the media elects government officials! They spoon feed you what they want you to know, then wait for you to make a decision based upon your emotions.

The jury is not to be blamed here. They were hand picked by the prosecution and the defense, based on an interview. They were diverse in opinion, yet all came to the same conclusion without much deliberation. They made a decision outside of the media influence. Remember, they had no access to television nor print media, just the information the judge chose for them to hear. They weren't poisoned by media opinion, they made a rational decision, one they must have been quite clear upon given the short discussion time. If you choose to be emotional and angry at the outcome, point it toward the prosecution, they failed to make a convincing argument.

This outcome was predictable, just like the public's reaction. I'll remind you of the IMF representative in New York City, who was recently charged with the rape of a hotel maid. The evidence and public opinion was against him from the start. The mob was ready to hang him in the town square, yet when the investigation proceeded, it turns out the information was tainted. Had the mob been allowed to act on it's emotion, spurred on by the media, that man would have been convicted, but the facts are pesky little things. It's turning out things are not how they appear, and it's highly likely that charge of rape was false.

So are we seeking justice or revenge? Justice demands citizens are given a trial before their peers and convicted on fact, not media hype. It has been said it's better a guilty man walk free, than one man be convicted unjustly. The victim will be rewarded in heaven, the guilty will be judged and sent to an eternity in hell. This maybe seen on earth as, "getting away with it," but there is no hiding the facts come judgement day. Take solace in the fact the innocent are rewarded and the guilty punished in eternity, and save the emotion for the ones you love.

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Liberty Declared, Now What?

We just celebrated a holiday, the birth of a nation, a nation who's principles are grounded in morality, and that morality is based upon the teaching of the Bible. It causes me great distress that the principles we based our foundation of greatness on, are under attack. You see, despite their protests to the contrary, those who render that attack, are trying to destroy our country. Be it by purpose, or ignorance, the only way to topple a great nation is to erode it foundation.

Were do morals come from? Where does meaning come from? Where do notions of right and wrong come to light?

If you pronounce your own good and evil and decide to become the moral authority on your own; haven't you purposely anointed yourself to the status of god? You've detached yourself from the God who created you, hiding your guilt and shame through the self justification of declaring your own morality.The process of self justification is a form of idolatry, that's a big no-no in the Creator's eyes. Those who remain complicit, whether it be through deceit or ignorance, are still guilty of not only attempting the decline of our nation, but of eroding their relationship with God.

We'd do well to separate ourselves from these individuals, and expose them for what they are. Apathy emboldens their cause. Sin is social, it's never individualistic. Even in private, it affects the community. The repercussions can be as simple as ignoring it, implying that it's acceptable. We've ignored those who want to defile the principles our great nation was founded upon, for far too long. Nothing cleanses the soul like the bright light of exposure, ask ex-congressman Anthony Weiner. That's the kind of disinfectant this nation needs!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Lest We Forget!

America the Beautiful

Words by Katharine Lee Bates,
Melody by Samuel Ward

O beautiful for spacious skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the fruited plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for pilgrim feet
Whose stern impassioned stress
A thoroughfare of freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God mend thine every flaw,
Confirm thy soul in self-control,
Thy liberty in law!

O beautiful for heroes proved
In liberating strife.
Who more than self their country loved
And mercy more than life!
America! America!
May God thy gold refine
Till all success be nobleness
And every gain divine!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
And crown thy good with brotherhood
From sea to shining sea!

O beautiful for halcyon skies,
For amber waves of grain,
For purple mountain majesties
Above the enameled plain!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till souls wax fair as earth and air
And music-hearted sea!

O beautiful for pilgrims feet,
Whose stem impassioned stress
A thoroughfare for freedom beat
Across the wilderness!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till paths be wrought through
wilds of thought
By pilgrim foot and knee!

O beautiful for glory-tale
Of liberating strife
When once and twice,
for man's avail
Men lavished precious life!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till selfish gain no longer stain
The banner of the free!

O beautiful for patriot dream
That sees beyond the years
Thine alabaster cities gleam
Undimmed by human tears!
America! America!
God shed his grace on thee
Till nobler men keep once again
Thy whiter jubilee!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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God Bless America!

I just got back from church, then had a short chat with my Nigerian friend, who believe it or not, is not a prince who's fortune was taken by rebels and is being held in a bank that only I can rescue for him. All of this caused me to reflect upon our upcoming holiday and just what makes our independence so great. You never realize how much we take our freedom for granted until you see it from another perspective, one where freedom is not an unalienable right.

So is it freedom of speech that holds the secret to our liberty?

While it is a key factor, it's not the defining one.

Is it the right to bear arms?

Again important, but not what our independence is grounded in.

How about freedom of the press, or freedom of religion?

Those are all wonderful aspects, but not where the foundation lies!

All of those unalienable rights are granted by our Creator, that my friends is where it all begins. "To which the Laws of Nature and of Nature's God entitle them," is how we declared our freedom. Isn't it interesting that those who seek to undermine the foundation of principles this great nation was based upon, first seek to remove God from the equation? If your going to topple something great, your only hope is to erode it's base.

First they seek to distance God from our thoughts, then they disrupt the traditional marriage and the family unit, on to the school system so their indoctrination is distributed, then we one day wake up and ask ourselves; where did my freedom go? It was lost when we stopped paying attention and allowed God to be separated from how our great nation began. He left the Pledge of Allegiance, He was evicted from the schools, He wasn't welcome in our town hall meetings, He has no place in the town square, yet when there is a problem 92% turn to Him for guidance. Anybody else having a problem with this? I just pray He never does.....

Remember tomorrow, freedom is granted by the Creator.He has as much a place in this celebration as anyone, so lift your eyes up and thank God we are free.

"While the storm clouds gather far across the sea,
Let us swear allegiance to a land that's free,
Let us all be grateful for a land so fair,
As we raise our voices in a solemn prayer. "

God Bless America,
Land that I love.
Stand beside her, and guide her
Thru the night with a light from above.
From the mountains, to the prairies,
To the oceans, white with foam
God bless America, My home sweet home.



God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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A Lil Ditty.....

I went to my psychiatrist to be psychoanalyzed
To find out why I killed the cat and blackened my husband's eyes.
He laid me on a downy couch to see what he could find,
And here is what he dredged up from my subconscious mind;
When I was one, my mommy hid my dolly in a trunk,
And so it flows, naturally, that I am always drunk.
When I was two, I saw my father kiss the maid one day,
That is why I suffer from kleptomania.
At three, I had a feeling of ambivalence towards my brothers,
And so it flows naturally I poisoned all my lovers.
But I am happy now; I've learned the lesson this has taught;
Everything I do that's wrong is someone else's fault!
-Anna Russell

A satirical verse that speaks volumes about a very real problem in today's society. I'm willing to wager most of you have met someone this applies to; if not...you might go look in the mirror, that person is likely staring back at you.

Remember only you have the power to make yourself a victim!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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Old Glory!

As we approach this Independence Day celebration, I was outside getting my flagpole ready to fly old glory to show my patriotism this weekend. I started to think about the flag, and what those colors we display so proudly mean to me. Here's some of those thoughts.....

Red: it's the color of blood, a symbol of all the sacrifices that's been made since this country was first imagined. People fought and died so we can be free, and it doesn't stop there. They are continuing their sacrifice even now to keep that freedom. Freedom isn't free! That sometimes sounds cliche', but only when we take freedom for granted. All across the world citizens admire our ability to speak freely, become as successful, or unsuccessful as we wish, that our opportunities are unlimited and not defined by the class we were born into. You have the right to rise to the level of your ability, on the foundation of those who died for the cause. We fought wars so the color of your skin doesn't matter, just the content of your character. You can have a personal victory, or you can be a victim of your thinking. Only you make that decision, because of the sacrifices of our brave men and women who believed in our cause. They spilled their blood to preserve, what we sometimes take for granted.

White: This nation was founded on a Judeo-Christian values, "one nation under God!" Preserved by moral principles, and grounded in faith.The ideals we based our Constitution on are as pure as the driven snow. We bleached away the darkness of tyranny, and gave our citizens a level playing field by declaring, "all men are created equal," and they are entitled to, "equal justice under the law." The idea a government can operate under the cleansing white light of transparency, is what our founders envisioned.

Blue; True blue! Faithful to the cause, never yielding to the outside pressure to conform to what the rest of the world is doing. We are the great experiment in freedom! A statement to the world that man can govern himself, void of the temptation to vote himself the largess, and destroy the Republic. Our where-with-all to the cause is challenged daily, but to date we remain true blue to the principles our forefathers founded this nation upon.

God Bless America! Have a happy and safe 4th of July!

God Bless!
Capt. Bill

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