Mark Caserta: Unwarranted government surveillance under the guise of protection is only the beginning.

20 Jul

History records the progressive movement will use this foothold to advance their agenda!

My entire adult life, I have observed, studied, and written about the progressive movement. What began as a movement that many viewed as advancing society has, over time, evolved into an effort to transform society itself.

In 1973, the Supreme Court’s decision in Roe v. Wade recognized a constitutional right to abortion while also acknowledging limits intended to protect the health of the pregnant woman and what the Court described as “potential life.” Under the Court’s original framework, abortions after viability could generally be prohibited, except when necessary to protect the life or health of the mother.

Over the years, however, the national debate expanded dramatically. Controversial procedures, including what became known as “partial-birth abortion,” and even “live-birth abortions were performed, heinously murdering an innocent life.  The original decision was the catalyst for disaster.

The cultural shift did not stop there.

In the 1970s, network television was vastly different from what we see today. Sexual content was limited. Profanity was heavily restricted. Violence, while present, was generally restrained. Families could sit down together during prime time with a reasonable expectation that the programming would be suitable for everyone.

Today, I don’t need to describe how different things have become. What is now considered mainstream entertainment would have been unthinkable on network television in that era.

Likewise, legal and social debates surrounding LGBTQ issues have continued to evolve over the decades. Questions involving marriage, employment protections, military service, and gender identity have all developed on different timelines.

Today, we have biological males competing in women’s sports and having access to women’s locker rooms—issues that would have seemed unimaginable to many Americans just a generation ago.

The same pattern is emerging in another area that should concern every citizen: government surveillance.

The Fourth Amendment has protected Americans against unreasonable searches and seizures since 1791. Yet today, many progressives casually support warrantless camera systems, such as Flock cameras, that record and track the movements of law-abiding citizens without individualized suspicion.

Some argue that this type of surveillance is not specifically prohibited by the Fourth Amendment. But the Framers anticipated that future generations might attempt to narrow the people’s liberties by exploiting technicalities. That is precisely why they included the Ninth Amendment.

The Ninth Amendment makes clear that just because a right is not specifically listed in the Constitution does not mean the people do not possess that right. It was intended to prevent the federal government from claiming authority over every aspect of our lives simply because a particular liberty was not expressly enumerated.

This is how progressivism often advances. Change rarely comes all at once. It begins with policies that appear modest, reasonable, or even beneficial. Then the boundaries continue to move. What was once described as an exception becomes the norm. What was once considered unacceptable gradually becomes expected.

It’s the desensitization of Americans.

The objective is not merely to reform society but to redefine it.

There comes a point when every generation must decide whether it will preserve the principles it inherited or surrender them one compromise at a time.

For me, that decision is clear.

It is time to exercise common sense. It is time to stand for the enduring principles found in the Holy Bible and the Constitution of the United States. If we fail to defend them today, we should not be surprised to find that future generations no longer enjoy the freedoms we inherited.

How to Fight Deployment of Flock and Other Mass Surveillance License Plate Readers in Your Community | American Civil Liberties Union

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Mark Caserta: The Price of Freedom

18 Jul

“Today, the threats to liberty may not come in the form of muskets and cannon fire. More often they arrive quietly—through complacency, the steady erosion of constitutional freedoms, or the willingness to trade liberty for convenience, security, or political expediency. Who are we to casually relinquish our freedoms brave men and women have died to protect?“

Young George Washington was suddenly awakened by the deafening roar of muskets and cannon fire. He had been unconscious, suffering from a severe case of dysentery, but the thunder of battle gave him the strength to rise and discover what was happening around him.

Having failed in his first military command against the French and their Native American allies, Washington had resigned his commission. Yet when the call came again, he volunteered to serve in any capacity he could, determined to do his part in defending the future of the New World.

Amid the thick powder smoke and chaos of battle, Washington mounted his horse to assess the situation.

“The battle is lost,” he was warned. “Turn back, Washington. Save yourself. It isn’t worth the risk.”

But George Washington knew his fellow soldiers were trapped on the front lines. He refused to abandon them. Instead, he spurred his horse toward the fiercest fighting, determined to lead from the front rather than seek safety in the rear.

History records that George Washington was remarkably protected that day. As bullets ripped through the air around him, he rode fearlessly across the battlefield, rallying frightened soldiers and helping as many as possible escape certain death. Though General Braddock’s army had been overwhelmed and the battle was ultimately lost, Washington’s courage prevented an even greater catastrophe.

With General Braddock mortally wounded and panic spreading through the ranks, Washington organized the retreat, encouraged his exhausted troops, and directed them to use the cover of the trees rather than continue fighting in the open. His calm leadership amid chaos saved countless lives and transformed what could have been a complete annihilation into an orderly withdrawal.

By the end of the battle, hundreds of brave men had sacrificed their lives at the Battle of the Monongahela, also known as Braddock’s Defeat. Yet George Washington emerged from the battlefield untouched, despite having two horses shot from beneath him and multiple bullet holes through his coat.

Many who witnessed the battle believed Divine Providence had preserved his life for a greater purpose—a purpose that would eventually lead him to command the Continental Army, guide a fledgling nation to independence, and become the first President of the United States.

Freedom has never been free. It never has been, and it never will be.

Our nation’s liberty was purchased with the courage, sacrifice, and blood of men and women who believed there were principles worth dying for. They understood that freedom is never guaranteed. It survives only when ordinary people are willing to stand against extraordinary odds.

George Washington could have turned his horse and ridden to safety. Instead, he rode into the battle.

That decision did more than save lives. It revealed the character of a man who would later lead a revolution and help establish the greatest experiment in self-government the world has ever known.

Today, the threats to liberty may not come in the form of muskets and cannon fire. More often they arrive quietly—through complacency, the steady erosion of constitutional freedoms, or the willingness to trade liberty for convenience, security, or political expediency.

Every generation is called to defend freedom. Ours is no different. Who are we to casually relinquish our freedoms brave men and women have died to protect?

The question is not whether freedom will require sacrifice.

The question is whether we will have the courage to pay its price.

But even a pawn can take the King.

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Mark Caserta: Voter question to politicians regarding 4th amendment rights.

16 Jul

“Do you support warrantless surveillance and a searchable record of a person’s every movement?”

Voters deserve to know where their elected officials and those running in November, stand concerning every issue!

So this is worthy of a share.

It’s our jobs to learn all there is to know about a candidate’s position on an issue. It is ALSO the candidate’s responsibility to be transparent about where they stand!

But the silence surrounding the constitutionality of warrantless surveillance through Flock cameras has been deafening…
…not only from some local elected officials, but also from those asking to become our next representatives.

What concerns me is when politicians avoid taking a position on important constitutional issues because they fear it may cost them votes. Too often, those positions don’t become clear until after Election Day.

We all understand that this is ultimately a city decision. That’s not the question.

The question is this:

Do you believe warrantless government surveillance through Flock cameras is consistent with the Constitution?

I would genuinely like to know “where our local elected officials—and every candidate on the November ballot—stand on this issue”.

The voters deserve an answer.

IRAN DEAL PROVIDES ENEMY TIME AND MONEY

10 Jul

Iran gamble gives Tehran time and money

Dec. 12, 2013 @ 12:00 AM

The Obama administration is gambling on the world stage, and the stakes are very high.

A deal was reached last month with Tehran and six major powers meant to freeze key components of the Iranian nuclear program in exchange for relief from economic sanctions.

At the time the deal was signed, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called it a “historic mistake” and one that made the world a “much more dangerous place.”

Consider first, the players at the table — Britain, China, France, Germany, Russia and the United States.

An argument can be made that the interest of our closest ally and the nation with the most to lose from these negotiations was missing from the table. That is Israel.

Second, both China and Russia are known to be actively engaged in assisting Tehran in its nuclear and missile technology. In fact, the very foundation of Tehran’s nuclear program can be traced to extensive Chinese and Russian cooperation.

Tehran has received extensive missile testing and guidance assistance from China and Russia, according to multiple reports. In June 1996, the results of a Congressional hearing cited U.S. intelligence findings that China had already “delivered dozens, perhaps hundreds of missile guidance systems and computerized tools to Iran.”

With Russian help, Iranian scientists have set up two sites to use laser technology to “more efficiently” enrich uranium which could be used for a nuclear bomb. The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) reports Tehran expects Russia to build two “additional” nuclear plants in the Bushehr province where they’ve been assisting the Iranians for years.

Two years ago, the IAEA released a comprehensive report on Tehran’s nuclear program based on intelligence from multiple countries, interviews with scientists who helped Tehran develop their program and the IAEA’s own investigations.

The report clearly indicated Iran engaged in “activities relevant to the development of a nuclear device.” These activities include:

Research on uranium cores and detonators for nuclear weapons.

Acquiring nuclear weapons information and documentation from a clandestine supply network.

Developing an indigenous nuclear weapons design and testing of the components.

Computer modeling of nuclear explosions and logistics for nuclear testing.

Engineering studies to adapt missiles for nuclear warheads.

The IAEA’s May 2013 report noted Tehran already had a sufficient stockpile of enriched uranium to produce weapons-grade uranium for seven nuclear bombs and was continuing to increase its capacity to enrich to weapons-grade.

Remember, Tehran is considered to be the leading state sponsor of terrorism, providing financial support and training for organizations such as Hamas, Hezbollah and others.

The United States seems to be the only nation with no “down cards” in this apocalyptic game. Inspections and “fail-safe” measures aside, once a rogue nation has technology, it cannot be extracted!

A good gambler knows when to walk away. Right now, President Obama is “all in,” wagering the safety of millions on the hope we can trust Tehran, China and Russia — and the odds aren’t favorable.

Staying in this game provides our enemies with the two resources they need most — time and money.

Mark Caserta is a Cabell County resident and a regular contributor to The Herald-Dispatch editorial page.

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Mark Caserta: Democrat policies have heightened the appetite for Socialism/Communism

26 Jun

I remember a time when socialist-leaning politicians tried to hide their Marxist tendencies for fear of public rejection. Today, many are openly campaigning on those ideas — and in some places, they are winning.

How did this happen?

How could a nation that became the most economically powerful and prosperous country on earth through capitalism now have a growing segment of voters openly embracing socialism and even communism?

Here is what happened — and far too few people are willing to say it.

The chickens have come home to roost for the Democrat Party.

For decades, far-left Democrats have worked to build voting blocs, not by inspiring independence, opportunity, and achievement, but by creating dependency, division, and grievance. Rather than earning votes through policies that strengthen families, create jobs, and restore hope, they have too often attempted to purchase loyalty through government control and political promises.

They have appealed to women through abortion politics and cultural movements. They have sought the LGBTQ vote by elevating identity politics above common sense. They have fanned the flames of racial resentment while claiming to represent the very communities their policies have failed for generations. They have expanded a nanny-state that weakens industry, eliminates good-paying jobs, and leaves too many families dependent on the very government that helped create their struggle.

They have also opened the door to millions entering this country illegally under the banner of compassion, while offering free housing, healthcare, benefits, and services that many hardworking American citizens can barely afford.

This did not happen by accident.

The far-left ideology of today’s Democrat Party has helped create a voter base that has not fully experienced the promise and discipline of true capitalism. Too many have not been encouraged to work, build, fail, learn, grow, and achieve the American Dream. Instead, they have been told that government is the source of success.

They were told, “You didn’t build that.”

Government did.

Now that culture has come to full fruition in many blue states and cities. People look around and see decline, chaos, poverty, crime, broken families, and a growing lack of hope. And sadly, many of the people voting for socialist Democrats are not bad people. Many are simply trying to survive in the very system they were handed.

When hope disappears, people become willing to try almost anything — even failed ideas that history has warned us about again and again.

Winston Churchill is often credited with saying:

“Socialism is a philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy; its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery.”

Whether one studies history, economics, or human nature, the lesson is clear: socialism does not lift people into prosperity. It spreads dependency, envy, and misery.

The failures of the Democrat Party have helped give birth to the very appetite for socialism they now pretend is compassion. Their policies have not produced strength. They have produced dependency. They have not produced unity. They have produced division. They have not produced hope. They have produced desperation.

I believe this movement will continue to grow unless it is confronted not merely with words, but with results. People do not just need speeches. They need jobs. They need safe communities. They need strong families. They need opportunity. They need leaders who are more interested in restoring hope than preserving political power.

Make no mistake: the appetite for socialism and communism in America did not appear overnight. It was cultivated through decades of failed policies, broken promises, and political dependency.

As this ideology spreads, I believe we will see the socio-economic gap grow even wider between states and cities that embrace freedom and those that embrace government control.

Perhaps it will take a massive failure — a real-time history lesson — for some voters to understand why America became the greatest nation on earth in the first place.

But I pray it does not come to that.

May God bless and protect this nation along the journey.

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Mark Caserta: Democrat Party is failing Americans with their insane ideologies.

13 Jun

The Democrat Party has abdicated common sense, along with its responsibility to represent and protect its constituents and the American people.

I would describe it as intellectual dishonesty, but that would require at least some evidence of intellectual activity from the Left.

The recent insertion of four-letter expletives by Democratic leaders in their protests against our president only confirms what many Americans already know: their vocabulary is shrinking in direct proportion to their reasoning ability.

Their political methodology increasingly resembles kamikaze tactics. They seem perfectly willing to crash and burn on the hill of radical, ultra-left causes, while representation, responsibility, and loyalty to the founding principles of our Republic never even enter the conversation.

Frankly, it appears as though they have given up any serious hope of winning another election on merit. Instead, they flail about wildly like an inflatable, wacky, waving tube man, firing insults at Donald Trump while desperately trying to draw as much attention to themselves as possible.

It is sad that Democrats no longer seem capable of feeling humiliation. If a real leader does not emerge soon to provide a badly needed course correction, they may find themselves wandering even further into political irrelevance.

No doubt, Trump Derangement Syndrome — along with the stupefaction that Donald Trump not only survived their relentless and shameless attacks, but was re-elected president — has stripped them of the capacity to produce a rational thought.

They seem committed to taking the wrong side of every argument, even on the most obvious issues affecting the well-being of the American people.

On the issue of allowing men to participate in women’s sports, every single Democrat U.S. senator recently voted against legislation designed to protect the dignity, integrity, and safety of female athletes by banning men from competing in women’s sports.

The fact that this is even up for debate is a prime example of the progressive agenda in America. That agenda has had far too much success because of our apathy and our unwillingness to engage in defense of Biblical values.

Democrats are clearly comfortable with women being forced to share locker rooms with biological males.

They are aligned with males who, unable to successfully compete against men in men’s sports, redefine themselves as females in order to win trophies and deny deserving young women the opportunity to fulfill their dreams.

Democrats are also apparently fine with allowing stronger male athletes to compete physically against females, potentially risking both physical and emotional harm to female athletes.

Regarding your tax dollars, Democrats are defending the obvious waste, fraud, and abuse of your hard-earned money now being exposed daily by the Department of Government Efficiency.

I find it insulting that, year after year, Democrats predictably call for higher taxes simply to bankroll their greed and dereliction of duty — all while knowing that the money you need to feed your family, fuel your car, or pay your bills is being wasted, misused, or stolen.

One cannot help but wonder who and what will ultimately be exposed as complicit in this waste and fraud.

Democrats are proving to the American people that a vote to keep them in power is worth far more to them than your health, safety, and welfare. Their opposition to President Trump’s pledge to shut down illegal border crossings makes that painfully clear.

They would much rather see millions of illegal migrants — including some criminals of the highest order — enter our country unfettered. Their desired return on that investment is simple: future votes from those receiving food, housing, education, and healthcare at the expense of the American taxpayer.

The bottom line is this: the Democrat Party hates President Donald J. Trump far more than it loves our country or its citizens.

Their priorities have been exposed by their actions, and every American should take note.

Through it all, the re-election of Donald Trump has allowed the American people to recognize one thing liberal Democrats have truly mastered.

Lying to the American people.

Mark Caserta: The Cost of Apathy: Our Responsibility to Preserve the Republic

18 May

One of the most troubling realities in America today is not merely political division or disagreement—it is voter apathy. Across our nation, elections at every level often reveal a painful truth: many citizens simply choose not to participate. While countless Americans passionately voice concerns about government decisions, taxes, schools, the economy, and the future direction of our country, far too many never take the time to perform one of the most fundamental responsibilities of citizenship: voting.

Our Founders entrusted the American people with something extraordinary. They gave us not a monarchy, not a dictatorship, but a constitutional republic—a government in which the people themselves bear responsibility for choosing those who represent them. Benjamin Franklin famously remarked that America was “a republic, if you can keep it.” Those words still ring true today because maintaining our Republic was never intended to be a passive exercise.

For nearly 250 years, brave men and women have fought, sacrificed, and died to defend the freedoms we often take for granted. From the Revolutionary War to the Civil War, through the beaches of Normandy, the mountains of Korea, the jungles of Vietnam, the deserts of the Middle East, and countless other conflicts, generations of Americans answered the call to preserve liberty. Many never came home. Others returned carrying visible and invisible wounds that would remain with them for a lifetime.

They fought not merely for land or politics. They fought for principles—for freedom, for self-government, and for the right of Americans to determine their own future.

Freedom is not free.

We often hear those words repeated at patriotic events and memorial ceremonies, but sometimes we fail to stop and consider what they truly mean. Freedom has always carried a cost. It was paid with blood, sacrifice, hardship, courage, and devotion to something greater than oneself.

Yet today many citizens willingly surrender one of the most powerful tools they possess by choosing not to vote.

When good people remain silent, decisions do not simply disappear. Elections still occur. Policies are still created. Laws are still passed. School boards still make decisions. Leaders still take office. If we refuse to participate, we effectively allow others—people who may not share our values, principles, or vision—to determine the future direction of our communities and ultimately the future for our children and grandchildren.

Voting is not merely a right; it is a responsibility. It is our opportunity to honor those who sacrificed before us and preserve what they fought to protect.

The future of America will not be determined solely by those who vote. It may also be determined by those who choose not to.

The Republic belongs to all of us. Keeping it requires all of us as well.

Mark Caserta: Millions of Americans relinquish their children’s future to total strangers.

18 Apr

I would never want to be asked by one of my grandchildren, “Papaw, why didn’t you vote?”

Millions of Americans have become so frustrated with politics that they simply refuse to vote. That doesn’t make them bad people—they’re just fed up. Many have resigned themselves to sitting on the sidelines, letting the chips fall where they may, adopting a “whatever will be, will be” attitude.

But if our Founding Fathers had taken that same approach, where would we be today?

That kind of indifference diminishes the sacrifice of the brave men and women who gave their lives to secure your right to vote—your right to express your faith, your conscience, and your beliefs in this Republic.

This dereliction of duty—and that’s exactly what it is—has been enabled by something dangerous: taking for granted the freedoms we enjoy in what is still the greatest nation on earth.

Consider this:

In countries like Afghanistan, voters risk terrorist attacks as they walk miles across dangerous terrain just to cast a ballot. The purple ink on their fingers marks them not only as voters—but as targets. And still, they show up.

In the remote regions of India, voters travel for hours—even days—through mountains and rural terrain. Election workers hike, cross rivers, and even use elephants to ensure every voice is heard. In fact, India has been known to set up polling stations for a single voter.

In Nigeria, citizens face threats from terrorist groups like Boko Haram. They stand in long lines under intense heat, often amid violence and disruption—yet turnout remains strong.

The list goes on.

Despite danger, hardship, and sacrifice, these people vote—because they understand something we too often forget: voting is their voice.

When you refuse to vote, you are placing your children’s future—and their children’s future—into the hands of others who may not share your values or priorities.

When you refuse to vote, you dismiss over 250 years of sacrifice made by those who fought and died to preserve your freedom.

When you refuse to vote, you surrender the direction of this nation—and your family’s future—to the loudest voices in the room.

History reminds us where that can lead. The loudest voices once cried out in Pilate’s court, choosing Barabbas over Jesus.

Consider this sobering reality: less than 75% of Christians in America are even registered to vote, and nearly half of those who are registered do not vote at all. That means tens of millions of Christians are completely absent from the process.

Forgive me, but that is unacceptable.

We have a responsibility to advance the future, protect the opportunities, and safeguard the freedoms of those who come after us—just as those before us did for us.

Scripture tells us that when we know to do good and fail to do it, for us, it is sin.

What clearer good can there be than standing up for life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness?

If you don’t typically vote, change that—now.

I would never want to be asked by one of my grandchildren, “Papaw, why didn’t you vote?”

The thought of that breaks my heart.

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Mark Caserta: Adding more laws won’t deter gun violence.

7 Apr

Mark Caserta is a candidate for the West Virginia House of Delegates in Wayne County

Here is a reprise of a column I wrote during Barack Hussein Obama’s administration in 2013 – little has changed. However, it highlights my position on the Second Amendment.

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The threat to our homeland from domestic Islamic terrorism has never been greater in the history of the United States. 

The seemingly unimpeded march of radical Islam toward the West has indeed emboldened those who have sought to broaden their coercion of a caliphate, or a state governed in accordance with Sharia Law.

America reportedly now has ISIS members who have penetrated our borders and are actively recruiting domestic terrorists for attacks within the U.S. FBI Director James Comey has been traveling the country warning the terror group is now recruiting in all 50 states and Americans must be on alert.

“Those people exist in every state. I have homegrown violent extremist investigations in every single state”, Comey said to an ABC News team, describing their network as a “chaotic spider web.”

 In addition to the increasing threat of domestic Islamic terrorism, our nation continues to witness senseless murders by psychopaths on school campuses, in churches and in the streets. From Columbine, to Aurora, to Blacksburgthe list disturbingly lengthens.

So, given the fact that American lives have arguably never been more at risk, why would President Obama ostensibly seek to disarm not only America but Americans?

Last week, in the wake of the latest mass murder in Oregon, Obama unashamedly politicized the massacre while taking aim at the National Rifle Association for blocking gun reform. Obama said it wasn’t enough to offer prayers after major shootings which continue to occur regularly throughout the country.

“As I said just a few months ago, and I said just a few months before that, and I said each time we see one of these mass shootings, our thoughts and prayers are not enough,” Obama told reporters after the latest shooting at the community college in which 10 people were killed and another 7 injured.

He challenged Americans to hold their elected official accountable for acting on the issue.

So, Mr. President, since criminals by nature ignore the law, what sort of new gun law would have prevented this latest tragic attack?

While it may be cliche, when you take guns from law-abiding citizens, only the criminals will have guns. 

How do you explain your home city of Chicago, which has some of the nation’s toughest gun laws, having such rampant gun violence? 

According to the Center for Disease Control, Chicago ranks among the highest in metropolitan areas for gun violence!

 New gun laws will not deter criminals. We should focus on the training and education of law-abiding citizens in properly defending themselves from those who ignore the law.  Additionally, focus on mental health and returning hope to individuals who succumb to depression and resort to desperate acts to fulfill an obvious void in their lives.

When I obtained my concealed-carry permit, I was required to complete a hands-on course with a qualified instructor. And only those ignorant of what this training involves would paint a scenario replete with wanton vigilante “blasting” where innocent lives are even more at risk.

So, here’s another cliche ending for liberal Democrats:

Guns don’t kill people; people kill people.

Let’s focus on real solutions and not political grandstanding for a vote,

Mark Caserta: Get informed before voting – Here’s how!

3 Apr

https://www.ballotready.org/

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