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Mark Caserta: Team Trump shows it’s ready to go to work for Americans

27 Jan

Despite liberal obstacles…

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

1.27.2017

 

 

team-trump

 

President Donald J. Trump wasted no time, following his inauguration, going to work for the American people.

Wielding his own version of a “pen and phone” legislative approach, President Trump signed his first executive orders in the Oval Office last Friday evening. His initial actions addressed national security, healthcare and, arguably, the economy.

Minutes after taking the presidential oath using two bibles, one presented to him by his mother and the other used by President Lincoln at his first inauguration, President Trump made his official entrance into the White House, where he commissioned Gen. James Mattis as secretary of defense and John Kelly as secretary of homeland security.

He also signed executive orders instructing federal agencies to “minimize the burden” of his predecessor’s signature healthcare law, essentially “stopping the bleeding” of Obamacare by preventing any further potential actions being taken to preserve the presumably outgoing piece of failing legislation. All this per CBS News live coverage of the Trump inauguration.

Understand, this sort of decisive approach is Donald Trump’s “brassy” way of setting the tone for his next four years as president. Skeptics have already begun mocking Trump’s “first 100-day plan” as overly ambitious. But, it’s apparent they don’t understand effective management skills and the art of networking, delegation and accountability.

An integral competency President Trump sought in his choices for cabinet members was the proven ability to manage people and resources. Frankly, this was an aptitude the Obama administration was sorely lacking and adversely consequential to his legacy and success. This faculty will play heavily in Trump’s execution.

I assure you, part of the Trump interview process included the candidate’s vision for formulating their teams and their detailed plans as to how they would achieve their respective goals.

Pursuant to fulfilling his promises to the American people, I believe the Team Trump has already begun laying the foundation for the major initiatives which got him elected to the presidency.

President Trump will waste no time addressing some “low-hanging fruit” and negating his predecessor’s executive orders, which largely ignored the wishes of most Americans. Eliminating government regulations unduly impacting American workers will be at the top of his list.

President Trump will rely heavily on his strengths as a businessman and negotiator and set into motion his intentions to renegotiate deals adversely impacting American jobs, such as NAFTA, or deals compromising our nation’s safety, such as the Iran nuclear deal.

I suspect engineers are finalizing plans for the wall he will build at the southern border. He will then circumspectly begin removing the more than 2 million criminal illegal immigrants from our country and canceling visas to foreign countries that won’t take them back.

Any day now, Trump will select a Supreme Court replacement for Justice Antonin Scalia, who will uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States.

Additionally, Trump’s first few weeks in office will be spent identifying his resources and providing clarity as to his expectations.

The stage is set and the wheels are in motion.

Team Trump is ready to “Make America great again.”

 

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

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Doug Smith: May “all those responsible” choose well.

22 Jan

doug-for-fsp

Doug Smith: Author, historian, patriot and lead contributor to Free State Patriot

 

Doug penned this column on January 20, 2017, before, during and after the Trump inauguration:

president-trump

 

This is the last article I will begin to write during the Obama administration.

Later today, Donald Trump will be sworn in as 45th POTUS, and the liberal progressive statist utopian leftists will be doing a lot of swearing as well.

But I digress.

Barack Obama leaves office today, causing many on the right to breathe a great sigh of relief, after being somewhat fearful 8 years ago that we might not survive him. Many on the Left are in tearful hysterics, certain we will not survive a pragmatic semi conservative succeeding a dedicated Leftist Radical. Everyone, just take a big deep breath. We survived 2 World Wars, are fighting a 3rd one, survived several Depressions, the Soviets, numerous economic downturns, and attacks on our way of life and our core institutions from within and without. The Snowdults (my own term, do you like it? These are folks over the age of 18 who apparently have none of the requisite skills or knowledge to function in the world as what were previously called adults, do, despite many their age pounding the ground with a rifle, driving a Submarine, or holding down 2 jobs to support a family.) retreat to color and play with puppies and weep inconsolably that things are not fair, like a 3 year old, but yet here we still are.

We have survived Barack Obama. We are about to start cleaning up his mess. We did not get the POTUS to do so that many wanted, but we did reject one who was more of the same, with less charm and more greed. I was not a Trump guy, but found him clearly and vastly preferable to HRC. I remain a conservative and patriot, believing in this country as truly exceptional and unique in history, and believing the values we have mostly espoused are those most likely to move us in a better direction.

As Ooopsicus, that 4th century Roman mostly remembered for his quotes, “Jupiter’s nose hairs, look at all the Visigoths! And, Honey, get the kids, we’re moving to Britannia. “once said “Goth Darn it, nobody is too big to fail. “

And so, I have a few observations on this day of transition, which will perhaps be a cusp in the history of our nation.

  1. There have been several cusp events in the last century that shaped us. Kennedy and Vietnam, Carter and Iran, Reagan and Russia, Bush and 9/11 key among them. These were significant emotional events, and shaped how we perceive and act. This could be one of those. We shall see.
  2. When you’re in command, Command! When you win, act like you’ve won. Don’t apologize for governing differently than your opponents. People elected you based on what you said you believed, and they expect you to act reasonably like it. When someone like the GOP tries to win with one idea, then move away from it because their opponents talk badly about them for it, their friends and supporters will play a trump card. ( I couldn’t resist)
  3. “The Crown must not only act generously, the Crown must be seen to be acting generously. “ In short don’t let your enemies or your adversaries control the narrative. The biggest mistake the Bush 43 administration made was the choice to “ Stay above the fray, “ and not respond to the lies and character assassinations of the opponents on the Left. Conservatives have paid the price for that for over a decade, as the Left got away over and over with characterizing him as an incompetent fool of a cowboy. Even today, after years of recounts have shown that Al Gore did, indeed, get thumped in 2000, despite trying to suppress military votes (No, Big Al, we have not forgotten that), despite using the courts, which are the ballot box of choice of the Left, and spending millions, and even the NYT conceding quietly that Gore lost, Bush won, Lefties will still parrot the narrative. So, despite the jokes and shaking heads about Trump Twitter, he should not let the Left control the narrative.

 

As I continue this article, Donald Trump is now the 45th President of the United States. Regarding the Liberal Women’s marches this weekend, a few notes.

  1. Conservative women or women’s groups were systematically disinvited from the march.  But it is all about women’s rights. And Donald Trump’s mouth. Sure.
  2. Most who marched voted for Hillary or Jill. Typically, they don’t accept the results of the election, and so they march. Screaming in the streets is not how we distribute power. If they voted, their votes were counted, and that is that. (But what of the ones who marched in other countries? Answer? I don’t care. It is not your country. You don’t get to pick our leaders, or our policies.)
  3. I note that there were no marches in Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Iran, Libya, or Nigeria. I note that none of the crowd from this weekend marched against Boko Haram, who quite literally captured schoolgirls and forced them into slavery. But at least they held up some signs on Twitter. Thank God for their help. Otherwise, all those victims would still be in slavery. Oh, wait…
  4. So, since we are debating numbers who attended the Inauguration, are there more or less women protesting the boorish behavior of Donald Trump than there were protesting the boorish behavior of Bill Clinton? Oh wait, that’s right. Leftie women went on the talk shows to insist that they would take the place of the objects of his peccadillos. As long as he voted right. Or rather, left. Hypocrisy, anyone?
  5. Also on the subject of how many attended the Inaugurations of Trump vs Obama, remember all the threats of violence, protests, and violence actually perpetrated around Obama’s weekend? Of course you don’t. But you know what, keeping Andrea Bocelli from singing at the event (Classy, Lefties, very classy. You made death threats and threatened to end the career of an enormously talented blind man. Oh well done. Bask in the pride of your accomplishments.) doesn’t change one thing. Maybe it is high time we got away from having the Hollywood A-listers involved. But with or without Celine Dion, Bruce Springsteen, or Meryl Streep, Donald Trump is still President of the United States. Maybe he will get back to a Teddy Roosevelt tradition, a day a year on the lawn with a lemonade just chatting with the folks who want to come and greet their President.
  6. Since I have been politically aware, and able to vote, we have had Reagan, Bush, Bush, and Trump. It seems, according to the Left, that they all wanted to kill grandma, starve children, enslave minorities, start a nuclear war, and take the vote away from women. Evidently they all fell short, in that women, and minorities, and grandmas continue to flock to the US, not away from it to the socialist utopias of Russia, or Cuba, or even Venezuela. The US is still, 8 years of damage by Obama s radical leftism notwithstanding, the best place in the world to live regardless of your race, or sex, or class. Rosie O Donnell has not, and will not, keep her promise to leave the country if her favorite liberal is not elected because there is no better place to go. I remember all too well the hysterical lies and misrepresentations of the left when, under Clinton, the Dems proposed increasing the amount spent on school lunch programs, and the GOP countered with a smaller increase. HORROR! The GOP wants to cut school lunch programs. Please, I can’t learn if I’m hungry. Don’t make me go to school hungry. Disgusting, and typical Lefties.  Thus has it been, and thus is it still.

 

You know, after a while, it stops resonating with a lot of people. The Left, like Nancy Pelosi weep about how many are going to lose insurance when Obamacare is repealed, but never admit how many have lost, or given up as unaffordable the insurance they had because of Obamacare. They tout the low unemployment, but ignore that 90 plus million not working, the much higher percentage of jobs that are part time, temporary, and lower wage than they were before. They ignore that the average Joe has not seen a real increase in take home pay in a decade, but has lost ground. They point to the handful of cherry picked successes, and ignore the larger, broader failures.

But when it comes to “kitchen table issue”, the folks trying to pay for food, and insurance, and medicine, and rent, and energy, the folks know how it is for them.  The folks know how it is for their neighbors. The folks no longer have much interest in what liberal millionaires have to say about how great things are.  The folks are not impressed by rioters, and the same old stuff of the Left. They shake their heads and think, Wow, these guys really miss the 60s, don’t they?  Then, they look in their bank accounts, and their refrigerators, and they know.

And they say so. And Said so. They said so in 2010, 2012, 2014, and last November. They said, you guys are not getting it, and we are going to vote for a change from what you are doing.

Obama s administration was a failure. It damaged the country. It damaged the Democrat Party. And the very vocal ones, the ones who get on TV, continue to double down on the same bet, and shriek and weep for the Halcyon days of Obama.

So we as a nation, and the GOP as a party, and Trump as a President have a moment of real opportunity. It has taken 3 elections, but the legacy of Obama has been decimating the Democrat Party and giving Trump the Presidency. The hard Left is still hysterically trying to reclaim what has been resoundingly rejected in 3 successive elections. 4, if you count the fact that the Clintons in the person of Hillary have now been rejected twice.

If they continue as before, and I’m sure they will, and if the GOP and Trump take the message of these elections and govern according to the promises they have made, they have a chance to prove the validity of ideas of limited government, individual responsibility and liberty, American exceptionalism, strong defense, and identifying and hitting hard at our enemies, and being the greatest friend to our friend.  If they are true to their promises, the country can bounce back and be even stronger than ever. A President Trump can ask in a debate in 2020, Are you better off today than you were 4 years ago, and get the answer on Nov 8, absolutely!  The Democrat Party, having cast its lot as the party of fringe interest groups, and abandoning its traditional constituencies of working class Americans, and failing most of the groups it claims to support, is poised to be marginalized for a generation.

It is a time to choose wisely, and consider what is truly important to us as Americans. That is true for the GOP, the POTUS, and we, the people. In 2008, Barak Obama had the White House and both Houses of Congress. He made choices with that political capital, and we are where we are.

The people have spoken, and now here we are.

Choose well, Mr. President.

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Mark Caserta: Liberal fear of Trump isn’t for the country

20 Jan

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

  • 1.20.2017

trump-contract

Since the election of Donald J. Trump, nearly every liberal columnist, pundit or commentator has expressed some sort of panic, fear or distress over the thought of this multimillionaire businessman becoming our next commander in chief.

Allow me to cut through the veneer of compassionate concern and tell you what I believe progressives are really afraid of.

Liberal Democrats are afraid of losing nearly every progressive step they’ve taken over the past eight years – in the first 100 days of the Trump administration.

And frankly, the liberal national media attempts to unfavorably brand the forthcoming changes by the Trump administration are welcome ones. Conservatives recognize the American people are ready for a change.

Yes, conservatives welcome a media distinction from progressives. It may be the single most valuable service they’ve provided in years! Americans have seen what eight years of progressivism can do to a nation. It’s time, once again, to employ Reagan conservatism.

Shamefully, liberals hypocritically focus on creating a narrative which engenders the alleged conservative disenfranchisement of those benefiting from progressive fundamental change, while totally disregarding the millions of people harmed by it.

Obamacare is a perfect example. Liberals are quick to misemploy the statistic of individuals who could potentially lose their insurance under the repeal and replacement of the health care law, but never factor in the thousands of families who’ve already lost their policies or have seen rates skyrocket under the pressures of an unsustainable program.

And I’m still waiting on any progressive to adequately address the multiple lies told to the American people enabling the passage of Obamacare.

The concocted jobs numbers are another example of how liberals are willing to sell the American people down the river, simply to maintain power.

Progressives know the current jobs numbers don’t include individuals who’ve given up looking for work or are severely underemployed. Yet they continue to paint a false narrative of jobs growth with meaningless government numbers, while families across the country suffer.

Lies just don’t seem to matter to liberals if they’re advancing their agenda.

This sort of false hope and dishonesty propagated by liberal Democrats is the reason Donald Trump will become president at noon today.

 The notion of “fake news” is also being bantered about as being influential in the defeat of Hillary Clinton in the presidential election.

But when the news involves the character assassination of Donald Trump or a nominated Cabinet member, the national liberal media seems eager to err on the side of falsehood.

The recent decision by the website Buzzfeed to publish a series of dated memos alleging inappropriate sexual conduct by Donald Trump, without a shred of evidence, (as reported by multiple news agencies, including the New York Post) is a display of how far some will go to delegitimize Trump’s presidency.

And the fact that CNN also made the decision to run with this defamatory information is very telling, indeed.

So, if “making America great again” elicits fear in liberals, let not your heart be troubled.

It isn’t fear for the country, it’s fear for progressivism.

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

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Mark Caserta: Democrats’ chickens have come home to roost

13 Jan

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

  • 1.13.2017

Like it or not, President Obama’s signature healthcare plan is living on borrowed time.

Obamacare will be repealed and replaced by the Trump administration, honorable members of the GOP and possibly as many as 10 Senatorial members of the Democrat Party up for re-election in 2018.

Expectedly, progressive pundits are already “building a wall” around any such Republican initiative. Some have unofficially labeled any GOP plan as “Trumpcare,” even though the official Republican plan isn’t yet on the table.

I’ve even heard House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi and others attempt to pervert Trump’s campaign phrase, “Make America great again” into “Make America sick again.”

Liberals are so creative.

Frankly, the name “Obamacare” had nothing to do with the healthcare plan’s implosion. President Obama actually became quite fond of the moniker and often said so during his presidency. I believe he envisioned the name enshrined in his presidential legacy.

And so, it will, but more like an eulogy than a legacy.

Obamacare failed because it was a poorly planned initiative based on an unsustainable foundation of political deceit of the American people. And it’s preparing to go down as one of the single largest, most embarrassing failures of any presidential administration.

And remember, Democrats alone are to blame for this “repeal and replace” mandate voters have given President-elect Trump and the GOP-led 115th Congress. While the 2016 presidential election was clearly a referendum on Obama’s multiple failed policies, his healthcare plan was right at the top of the list for consideration.

And as far as “making America sick again,” Americans couldn’t be any sicker than they are now of the deception and economic foolhardiness the Obama administration employed in attempting to fundamentally change our country to align with the president’s apparent rancorous view of the United States.

For perspective, let’s “metamorphically” go where no liberal has gone before and reminisce how Democrats passed Obamacare.

During Obama’s 2008 presidential campaign, he repeatedly (eight times per a 2010 New York Post column by Clemente Lisi) promised that health care negotiations “will be on C-SPAN” and “the public will be part of the conversation and will see the choices being made.”

Never happened.

In March 2010, then-Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi said of the Affordable Care Act, “But we have to pass the bill, so you can find out what is in it, away from the fog of controversy.”

 Voters surely paid for this sort of dereliction of duty.

In 2013, Obama gave us the “PolitiFact ‘Lie of the Year'” when he made his healthcare promise to Americans, “If you like your healthcare plan, you can keep it.”

And maybe the “crme de la crme” denoting the progressive path of prevarication enabling passage of Obamacare happened when, in 2014, the so-called “architect” of the federal healthcare law said the “lack of transparency” and the “stupidity of the American voter” helped Congress approve Obamacare.

The disregard Democrats have shown for the American people is flabbergasting!

Allow me to borrow a familiar idiom.

“Democrat’s chickens have come home to roost.”

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

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Doug Smith: Adams & Jefferson in “The Argument”

12 Jan

doug-for-fsp

Doug Smith: Author, historian, patriot and Free State Patriot’s lead contributor

1.12.17

adams

The Argument:

Mr. Adams, listen to this. I think this will make a good start.

(Jefferson reads)

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Whiskey, Houses, and Doctors,

(Adams interrupts)

Mr. Jefferson, Really? Are you mad? Now just what do you suppose will happen to the whiskey distillers if we make their drams a Right? Who is going to pay them for their whiskey? How much is every man entitled to? If the Government takes their whiskey and gives it out, their customers won’t buy from them anymore, and they will protest when it is taken. They will regard it as indentured servitude, indeed as chattel slavery! They won’t abide it. Not in Massachusetts! I tell you if we leave that part in we will find ourselves with another rebellion, a Whiskey Rebellion. We can’t promise to give everyone someone else’s stuff.

Jefferson “So, no whiskey, Mr. Adams?”

I think not, Jefferson. Better take that out.

Quill pen scratches. Very well, then Adams. Now then …hold these…created…ah..here we are: “Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Houses, Doctors, and…)

Oh, my dear Jefferson. Housing? We are going to promise everyone a House? Whose  house? Who will build them? Or pay for them?

Well, Adams, John Hancock has plenty of wealth. I suppose he could.

Jefferson, for God’s sake how far do you suppose his silver will go to build a house for every family in the colonies? And what makes you suppose he will give up his money to pay for a house for me? He will say, Adams, you have a trade. Go out and earn it, then buy your own house! And he’d be right, too. No, no, no, my dear Jefferson, it will just never work.

Sigh. Well alright then, but we have to offer something.  Mutters.  Quill pen scratches. Very well, then Adams: “Endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are   Doctors, and…”

Jefferson, Jefferson, Jefferson. How do you plan to do that?  Are you going to train up some Virginia slaves to practice medicine? Because by Thunder, if they are a RIGHT then how do they charge for their services? Don’t you see man, if we make one man’s goods or services the Right of another; we must of necessity make one the Master and one the Slave? How many will agree to go to war with England and…

Glares at Adams. Elaborately scratches out Doctor. Alright then, John. Just what Rights do we suppose a man is granted by the Almighty, which we WILL fight for?

Well, now Tom, since you ask. You know there were scores of bodies on the green at Lexington last April. I think there are none who would gainsay us pledging that each man has the right to his own life and that King George’s Lobsters have no right take it from them.

Hmm. Alright Adams. So, Life? Come to that, Life is not worth so much if we can be told to come and go, pay and work, at the whim of the Sovereign. After all, if it is to be war, then let it be war, but for our Liberties.

That is good, Jefferson. Life and Liberty. Of course, we want to be able to pursue commerce as each man is able and as he desires. Smiles, then they can buy a hogshead of whiskey, to take to their house. And pay for the Doctor Warren to give them a tonic for the whiskey.

Very well then , Adams, I suppose each man will want to make his living in his own way, and live as he please. That, John, is what I call a happy life.

There! You have it Jefferson. Each man wants to find happiness in his own way, and our Creator will make him free to pursue it as he will. Of course, General Washington will have to enforce the will of the Almighty. He may, in his wisdom, endow us with these rights, but the King will not give it willingly. We must purchase these rights dearly.

Jefferson, thoughtful, scratches at the bottom of the page. Alright, John. What of this?

“We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty, and the pursuit of Happiness. __That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed.”

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mark Caserta: US must be steadfast in support of Israel

6 Jan

me

Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

1.6.17

 

The roots of the Arab-Israeli conflict date back centuries. And throughout history, God has faithfully demonstrated his favor and divine regard for the Israeli people and their land.

The United States must be equally steadfast in its support. For opposition to Israel, frankly, is opposition to God.

Since 1967, following Israel’s victory in what’s commonly called the Six Day War, the United States and Israel have built a special relationship, two nations sharing the same values and passion for democracy.

Surrounded by larger Middle Eastern nations who’ve openly displayed their hostility to the Jewish people, Israel has been anchored, in part, by the support of the United States. But, rest assured, as the strongest military presence in the region, Israel is very capable of protecting herself and her democratic presence.

Yet despite being comparable in size to New Jersey, nations around the world still advocate Israel giving up additional land to the contentious Arab population of Palestine.

Understand, this land was given to the Israeli people by God and is not transferable.

In fact, the Bible repeatedly refers to the territory in which Israelis live as “their land” (Ezekiel 37:21). And when speaking of the Israeli people, God calls them “my people” and integral to His divine order and plan for mankind.

Many know the biblical account in Genesis, of God’s covenant with Abraham and His promise of a son (Isaac) through whom He would make a great nation and redeem the earth. God purposely selected this land (Israel) and these people (Jews) to provide every person access to His divine blessings and plan of salvation.

“I will make you into a great nation, and I will bless you; I will make your name great, and you will be a blessing. I will bless those who bless you, and whoever curses you I will curse; and all peoples on earth will be blessed through you.”

I have no doubt this is the primary reason America has become the most prosperous nation in the world. And from our abundance, we bless other nations. In areas such as health and human services, the fight against hunger and poverty, and aiding in recovery from natural disasters, the U.S. has been a resource for the world.

The Bible also says, “To whom much is given, much is required.” America has been given quite a lot. And I believe it’s been God’s response to how we’ve honored Israel.

Despite the progressive view on our nation’s founding, I believe America was founded on the very Judeo-Christian principles of liberty and the value of human life that were birthed from the nation of Israel.

If we refuse to honor Israel and compromise our support, we could, in relative fashion, forfeit many of God’s blessings, which in turn could impact our ability to bless other parts of the world.

We must work to rebuild the relationship of trust and respect with Israel that’s been under attack for the past eight years.

Finally, we must proceed in lockstep fashion with God and the Israeli people.

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

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Doug Smith: Truth, Lies, and for goodness sake Harry, call it manure.

2 Jan

doug-for-fsp

Doug Smith: Author, historian, patriot and lead contributor to Free State Patriot

1.2.17

lying-politician

 

“Abuse of words has been the great instrument of sophistry and chicanery, of party, faction, and division of society.”

John Adams

“I shall not today attempt further to define the kinds of material I understand to be embraced within that shorthand description [hard-core pornography]; and perhaps I could never succeed in intelligibly doing so. But I know it when I see it, and the motion picture involved in this case is not that.”

Justice Potter Stewart

“For goodness sake, Harry, can’t you call it manure?”

Bess Truman

 

Ok, admittedly, that last one is an assumption, borrowed from a quip by Ronald Reagan, to wit, that Bess had for years tried to get Harry to call a certain substance found in abundance around cattle and politicians “manure”. But to that point, this may be the year when truth suddenly mattered a lot more than it had for years.

Follow me down the path a bit, kind reader, and I’ll try not to get us lost. Some clever wag has noted ““If you want to make a Conservative mad, lie to him. If you want to make a Liberal mad, tell him the truth”. (Sometimes attributed to Teddy Roosevelt, but whoever said it, it makes me smile.)

Hillary Clinton gave a series of ever changing answers, redefinitions, and diversions to questions regarding her business and political dealings for the entirety of her 40 years in the public eye.

Bill Clinton famously told us:

“I want you to listen to me. I did not have sexual relations with that woman. Miss Lewinsky.

And, 8 months later;

“Indeed, I did have a relationship with Miss Lewinsky that was not appropriate. In fact, it was wrong. It constituted a critical lapse in judgment and a personal failure on my part for which I am solely and completely responsible. I know that my public comments and my silence about this matter gave a false impression.”

Too bad he didn’t see fit to say it all on the same day.

So, to look at the truth from the underside (the preferred angle for the Clintons, and the progressives they have led for a generation) what, we might ask, is a lie?

Well, sir, Justice Potter to the rescue. In speaking of pornography, which was the issue before SCOTUS at the time of his famous quip, he noted that he might not be able to define it, but he could certainly recognize it when he saw it!

What exactly is a lie, coming from a politician? Well, we said in our millions, I might not be able to define it for you, but I can sure tell when somebody slaps me in the face with it like a dead fish. Parenthetically, the 2 smell largely the same.

Lest you assume that I am only able to see lies when perpetrated by Liberal Democrats like the Clintons, which is, as we used to say in the Navy, a “target rich environment”, I note that the leader for some years of my own exasperating, infuriating Grand Old Party, Mitch McConnell, had a pre-November and a post November side of his mouth in regards to repealing or defunding Obamacare. (We wait with baited breath, now that he has it all, both Houses of Congress, POTUS, and over 2/3 of statehouses firmly in GOP control, if he will finally, to quote, well, him, “repeal it, root and branch.”)

Now here is a curious phenomenon. I am (Ok, Bess, you could never tame Harry, but I’ll filter the Navy out of the boy) angry with Mitch for lying to me. The Democrats who stood in lock step supporting Bill on the steps of the Capitol were not angry with him in Aug when he admitted he had lied, and got them to swear to it. They were angry with Ken Starr. They were angry with the GOP for making a big deal about it. They were angry on an individual basis with conservatives who dared to say, See, I told you so. Bill Clinton is a liar. (Or moving forward, after Hillary contradicted her own story for the 4th or 5th time, HRC is a liar.) It did not matter that they lied, only that they gave at least lip service to the right ideas.

When Barack Obama promised most faithfully those “shovel ready jobs”, and then chuckled later, that oops, they were not as shovel ready as we thought, (in point of fact, they were nonexistent), when his lies on Obamacare unraveled, when he campaigned in favor of medical marijuana, then worked against it as POTUS, (now THAT one ought to have the lefts undies bunched up!), no Liberal Democrats were outraged and angry at him. Instead, they joined in merry chorus of RACIST! Against anyone who opposed him or pointed out his lies.

Now, in 2016, for better or worse, the truth became important. What Obama had done, instead of what he promised or took credit for, mattered. The constant lies of Hillary Clinton became too much to swallow for too many people. And it was part, if not all, of a political tidal wave.

And in all of it, conservatives and Republicans were outraged at the leaders of our party for lying to us, and gave rise to the year of the insurgency candidates Ted Cruz and Donald Trump. Trump may be far from perfect, but so many times he called the same things Bull… sorry, Bess, I m trying, manure, that we did. And it struck a chord.

Meanwhile, Democrats angrily, hysterically, denounced any who failed to kow tow to party orthodoxy, and many, too many, or enough, depending on your point of view, said, Nope, not this time.

The party outraged by the truth slid behind the ones outraged by the lies to its lowest ebb since Woodrow Wilson. The Progressive movement has been set back a generation, and the work of undoing their damage is about to begin.

Sophistry has about run its course. Truth is gaining ground.

Taking on the most extreme, out of touch, fringe elements of society, desperately waiting to be insulted or aggrieved, does not make you a major political influence, it makes you a fragmented party of wackos, who eventually, and finally, make it clear that my job, my housing value, my paycheck, my retirement, my life and safety and that of my children and grandchildren, is less important to you than wedding cakes and Kardashians.

Common sense folks, trying to live their lives, have been aware of these truths, if hesitant to say them for fear of the (Democrat) mob.

So, here’s another bit of truth: that is all about to change.

The last time the Democrat party was this weak, Babe Ruth hit 138 home runs, The Republic of Ireland was formed, a famine began in Russia, FDR developed polio, and John Glenn was born.

If you are a Democrat, perhaps you need to find a safe place and make some playdough Unicorns.

Because the Lions are back.

 

 

 

 

 

 

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Mark Caserta: Let’s celebrate Jesus’ birth, life this Christmas

23 Dec
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Mark Caserta: Free State Patriot editor

  • 12.23.16

jesus

Throughout history, no event has ever influenced mankind like the birth of our savior, Jesus.

And just as wise men sought Him long ago, may we all use this Christmas season to reflect upon His life and seek understanding of His purpose for leaving the “comfort and joy” of His Heavenly Father to live on earth as a man.

The most astounding revelation of His life for me, is that as the Son of God, Jesus had immediate access to all the powers of heaven. Yet He chose to live his life in humility, serving His fellow man. What an example for us all!

 Born in humble circumstances, of the virgin Mary, Jesus was raised a carpenter’s son. Now, carpentry, at the time was a rough job and demanded a great deal of strength, endurance and skill.

I’ve often wished I could have witnessed some of the work of Jesus’ hands! I believe everything he crafted was of the finest quality. In fact, I picture Him as probably being one of the finest finish carpenters of that time!

No doubt, He spent much of his time fabricating the necessities of the day, like plows, animal yokes, furniture and building materials, like doors, windows and flooring. The tools of His time were crude and certainly required much time and effort to use.

Now, I don’t claim to be a theologian, but I personally believe every experience in Jesus’ life was purposeful for His ministry.

As a carpenter and builder, Jesus would have a unique understanding of the importance of building a solid foundation. The stronger the foundation, the more stable the structure.

I believe Jesus had an affinity for water. He spent a great deal of time with fishermen and seemed to have a superb understanding of the trade. He may have even helped construct some of the fishermen’s boats.

Jesus also had to have effective leadership skills. Remember, during a period when it sometimes took months for information to travel the globe, Jesus took 12 men and shook the world!

But Jesus’ most redeeming quality was His incomprehensible love for others.

It was this love and understanding of His purpose that prompted Him to leave His family (albeit earthly) for a “second time” and devote His final years on earth to His Heavenly Father’s business.

 Jesus was born into this world to serve and gain understanding of mankind’s frailties. And while He committed no sin, he surely understood it.

He loved us so much, he chose to freely give His life to become the atoning sacrifice for our sins and our advocate before His Father. Those who’ve accepted God’s simple plan of salvation are now “sons” and “daughters” and part of God’s family.

So, while Christmas is the time we celebrate Jesus’ birth, let’s not forget to celebrate His sacrifice and the eternal hope we have because of Him.

May 2017 see many more people joining God’s family and gaining a deeper understanding of why we celebrate this season.

Merry Christmas everyone! May God’s blessings overtake you!

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

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Doug Smith: If the Russians were hacking the U.S.

20 Dec

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Doug Smith:  Author, historian, patriot and lead contributor to FSP

12.20.16

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If the Russians were or are hacking into our computers, we ought to take offense. If, mind you.  Of course, it is hard for the guy who said, Tell Vlad I ll have more flexibility after the election, and If Syria uses chemical weapons, that would be a red line in the sand, and Golly, Crimea? Really? Well, stuff happens, to be the one to take them on.

However, I note with interest that so far all I have seen is pundits and talking heads saying The CIA director said, or, more specifically, the Media reports that CIA employees said, that in a memo which we can’t see, read by employees who are not named, the CIA director said, that the FBI and NSA directors said, that we are all in agreement.

How’s that again?

However, we still refuse to brief the House Intelligence Committee.

Say what?

Not once have I seen and CIA spokesman or director make a statement to the public, or to Congress. Everything I have seen, and can look up online, cites reporters talking about what unnamed sources said Clapper said that Comey said.

Given that mainstream reporters tend to be among the biggest liars around, (Dan Rather, Brian Williams, to name a few), and have often put forth a story based on either a lie, or partial or misinformation to further their narrative, I ll reserve judgment on that aspect of things until we hear something definitive, like, oh, I don’t know, proof, or testimony from the Director of Central Intelligence.

However, in the broader sense, can we agree that we ought to have a sense that government officials ought not to interfere with the elections of foreign countries?

So we object in principle to the idea that Russia might try to influence or cast doubt on our elections. But if we follow that principle, we must equally object to Obama sending money and political operatives to Israel to actively work with an opponent of Netanyahu to try and defeat him, because he does not like him. That is materially worse, and principally the same as what is alleged now, to wit, a leader of one country did not like a candidate in another country and so worked actively to try and defeat them in an election.

Goose, meet Gander.  If you are going to say I object to Russian interference in our elections, regardless the degree of effectiveness, then, if you are consistent, you must equally condemn Obama s failed attempt to unseat the Israeli Prime Minister.

Let us go a step further. Both Ted Kennedy , as a Senator and Presidential hopeful, and Jimmy Carter, as a sitting President, directly contacted officials within the Soviet government to ask their help in creating events and military postures that would help them defeat Ronald Reagan, judging, correctly, that the Soviets would vastly prefer either of them to Reagan. And so they should have, for Reagan put the final nail in their coffin.

Now, these things did not come out as 2 Democrat politicians actively tried to solicit help from the Soviets for partisan political purposes during the Cold War, but some years later as documents were made public after the fall of the Soviet Union.

John Walker, who American sailors justly reviled, was convicted of espionage for selling secrets (which I was charged with protecting as well as he was, and still would not divulge to you) to the Soviets for money. He died in Federal Prison in 2014. What he did was very similar in tone and potential damage to what Kennedy and Carter tried to do. How much did the Soviets adjust their posture toward the US in the 80’s at the behest of those 2?  We will likely never know.

We can be utterly certain that the Soviet leadership was far, far more upset with Ronald Reagan than Shirtless Vlad is with Hillary (Easy Button Reset) Clinton.  After all, she didn’t stop them at anything. In fact, her claim that Vlad is Mad (angry, not nuts) is a little specious since she signed off on a deal for control of US Uranium that helped make him the wealthiest man in the world, and did not hurt her pocketbook either.

I think a reasonable case can be made that both Carter and Kennedy should have been charged with espionage , if they gave US state secrets to the Soviets in part of their request for internal political help, or perhaps treason, for dealing with our primary  enemy to further their own political ambitions.

Now, Kennedy is dead, and Carter is 90, although he still has a penchant for working actively against the interests of the US in his words and actions abroad.  He has the record at this point, for the worst, most meddlesome, most anti American ex-President ever. But he can take heart. He also once looked to be the worst President on record.

Then along came Obama.

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Mark Caserta: Obama leaving behind wounds that require healing

17 Dec

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Mark Caserta: FSP editor

  • Dec 16, 2016

 

policemen

 

God breathed the same breath of life into all human beings. And certainly we have the right to be outraged over the shedding of innocent blood.

All life matters.

But where is the outrage over the murders of innocent police officers sworn to uphold standards of integrity, bravery and honor to the community and the law?

Any law enforcement officer will attest to the fact that answering a domestic dispute call is arguably one of the most dangerous and unpredictable calls a police officer can face.

But it’s getting worse.

In what appears to be an increasing number of incidents, police officers are being premeditatively attacked.

One such incident happened last week when two police officers were fatally shot while answering a call about a domestic dispute in southwest Georgia.

Twenty-five-year-old Nicholas Smarr, an Americus, Georgia, police officer, along with Southwestern State University campus policeman Jody Smith were shot while responding to a domestic disturbance in a nearby apartment complex, according to the Georgia Bureau of Investigation.

Upon arriving at the complex, Minguell Lembrick opened fire on the officers, killing Smarr and critically wounding Smith, who later died.

Lembrick was later found dead, from a self-inflicted gunshot, following a standoff outside his home, authorities said at a press conference.

 

Data from the National Law Enforcement Officers Memorial Fund show these attacks are on the rise. Statistics show 63 law enforcement officers in the United States were fatally shot while on duty in 2016, 66 percent higher than the year before.

So why the increase in attacks?

A little over two years ago, Ferguson, Missouri, police officer Darren Wilson fatally shot unarmed teenager Michael Brown. Video and witness testimony clearly revealed Brown had unlawfully assaulted a store clerk while robbing a convenient store and attempted to wrest Wilson’s gun away while being taken into custody.

But, despite the facts, the Obama administration demonstrated an incredulous lack of support for law enforcement, even sending representatives to the Brown funeral.

Officer Wilson was eventually found innocent of any wrongdoing, but birthed from the ordeal was the “Black Lives Matter” (BLM) movement against police.

Chants from BLM activists like “What do we want? Dead cops! When do we want ’em? Now!” were heard at protests and riots, invigorating enmity throughout cities across the nation.

To this day, activists erroneously honor Brown’s memory by holding up two hands in a “don’t shoot” manner despite this portion of witnesses’ testimony being proven false.

Now, our nation has endured racial animosity before, but it’s never resulted in this type of radical, sustained retaliation against police.

I believe one of history’s greatest tragedy’s will be President Obama’s failure to seize the opportunity to be the most racially unifying president in our nation’s history.

Frankly, I believe the hope that our first black president would champion this cause helped get him elected.

But rather than becoming a unifying voice of reason, his administration’s actions amplified racial dissent. And people are dying.

And now our nation has all new wounds that require healing.

Let the healing begin with the new administration.

 

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

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