Summer Travel, Conservative Reading

My husband was gone for another month recently for more army training. They spent some days in the field where he got to put his new uniforms to the test, not with life or death supplies like our soldiers overseas, but things important to him nonetheless. Because I have a public blog I don’t like to broadcast the fact that he’s gone, when he’s gone, but I sure am glad when he’s home again.

Things have been pretty busy around here preparing for my daughter’s wedding. One thing we did was go down to New Orleans to meet my future Son-in-law’s family. It went well. I got along great with his mom, it felt to me like we were old friends. And to my surprise and satisfaction, his dad is another one of us crazy conservative types like me. Our conversation went from the presidency to voting, to scripture to great books we’ve read. Once you’ve realized that you have many of the same favorite books, then you really know a lot about someone (i.e. they are as awesome as you are, haha). So that went well.

Speaking of favorite books, the long out of print “An Enemy Hath Done This” by Ezra Taft Benson is back in print by a company named Freedom-Books. As a former Secretary of Agriculture under Dwight D. Eisenhower, Ezra Taft Benson fought against farm subsidies from the government in order to preserve a free market farming system back in the 50’s. He later became the President of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints. Ezra Taft Benson warned against forces in society that were seeking to overthrow the freedom of this country. This book contains many speeches to the Boy Scouts Of America and other organizations, on constitutional topics and is very relevant today, though the facts and figures have changed dramatically over the years. (I think most of the speeches were given in the ‘60’s). I ordered a new copy recently because I had given mine away. I need a few more! So if you haven’t heard of it or read this book, check it out. It is one of my ‘MUST READ’s’.

-Lynnae

Reagan vs. Khrushchev

"Freedom is never more than one generation away from extinction. We didn't pass it to our children in the bloodstream. It must be fought for, protected, and handed on for them to do the same, or one day we will spend our sunset years telling our children and our children's children what it was once like in the United States where men were free." ~ Ronald Reagan

Decades ago Nikita Khrushchev said:

“I can prophesy that your grandchildren will live under socialism. We will bury you.”

Was he right? How can we be so shortsighted as to sell our freedoms in the name of security and entitlement?

It’s a shame.

Lynnae

Thomas Sowell

Please read Thomas Sowell's wonderful column from yesterday, "the Degeneration of Democracy". I am a huge Thomas Sowell fan and this article was fantastic.

Thomas Sowell

-Lynnae

Vlademir Lenin and I

When a little girl plays house it’s all fun. You get to clink your tea set and lay your dolly in the cradle, yet you can drop it all and run out to play whenever you want.

You can do this because there is a mommy around to put the toys away and dredge up the gooey cracker crumbs from dolly’s mouth.  Someone makes it all possible and someone cleans up the mess.

This musing comes as a result of visiting a famous statue of Vlademir Lenin on a street corner in Freemont in Seattle, Washington.

The statue was originally erected in Czeckoslovakia, in collaboration with the Russians, but was quietly taken down after the revolution. An English teacher from Issaquah, Washington, found it is a refuse pile (dustheap of history???) and purchased it to bring to the states. More of the story can be read here.

Now the perpetual children in Freemont can hang out in groovy coffee shops paying extra for their organic brew, professing the sensitivity and good intentions of socialism, and even communism, and turn a blind eye to the atrocious results of those systems, because they were lucky enough to be born in a land of freedom and entrepreneurs, a justice structure and a Bill of Rights.

I have heard people spit out the word ‘Capitalism’ as if it were a slur, while they enjoy the rewards of it every day.

Capitalists don’t get rich on their own. Yes, they dream big and they take risks, but in order to expand their dreams and be productive they need people. They train workers, they purchase land, they build. They scoop up in their wake others who need a steady income, who try to be dependable though they might not have the genius, strength, or desire to start a company of their own.

Redistribution of wealth does not create wealth. It never has and never will.

Not that wealth is the most important thing. It is merely a side effect of FREEDOM.

It’s a Trap

 ‘drawing’ by Lynnae Pulsipher

It’s been a while since my last post. I’m sorry about that and I’ll try to be more consistent. The reason, pure and simple, is discouragement. How long must we continue to fight these people back as they try to destroy our country?

National Health Care.

I stood in Westlake Center in Seattle and ‘booed’ Hillary Clinton off the stage when my children were little ones. Now they are entering college and we are fighting the same thing, and the scary part is that the American people seem a lot more receptive to the idea this time. We may have to fight the socialists back every ten years, but, if every time, the voters are more indoctrinated and misinformed, then it’s a loosing battle.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve reconciled myself to fighting a losing battle many times, mainly because I know God is in charge and even a loss is a temporary loss. But sometimes I still get tired. So I sketched out the little picture above to sum up my feelings (and then added three paragraphs, so much for brevity).

-Lynnae

Down Days

Some days this picture by Arnold Friberg captures my mood perfectly.

I’ve been discouraged and I haven’t posted for a while. I’ve cut back my news to almost zero. I’ve been in a political funk, frustrated by how much is happening so fast, and how willing U.S. citizens are to give up their freedoms to someone who will take care of them- someone who will steal from their neighbor to take care of them. But I still want to be heard, and join my voice with other bloggers who want to be heard.

It’s one of those days where I wonder if it’s too late to make a difference. If too many people are willing to give in to the siren’s song of socialism and get pulled down into the abyss of totalitarianism and captivity that follows.

Lately I guess I’m in ‘hunker down’ mode just wondering how I can do what’s best for my family and be prepared. I love this country, more than almost everything. God, Family, Country.

Maybe I get too caught up in it emotionally, some days it’s just too painful to watch. I trust in God and know he has his hand over the nations. I’m just being honest about why I haven’t posted more frequently. I don’t feel alone when I read your blogs, and when a conservative commentator makes a great point I cheer to myself.

Today Rush played clips of Reagan- so timely and relevant. It made me happy and sad at the same time. Look how far down this road we’ve gone since then. Rush is optimistic about the future of this country. I’m not so much. But I still believe in standing for freedom and not giving in.

There’s another picture by Friberg that captures my fighting spirit- the one I need to regain these days.

 “In Memory of our God, our religion, our freedom, and our peace, our wives and our children”

This picture is well known to Mormons but maybe not to all of you. It depicts a God-fearing warrior who, when he saw  his people being persuaded by those who were willing to give up their democracy to have a monarchy again, ripped of his cloak, wrote the above words on it, known as the ‘Title of Liberty’, lifted it as a standard, and marched through the streets gathering supporters to augment his small army and keep democracy alive- for a little bit longer.

How do you get yourself out of the slump when you have political ‘down days?’

Pictures by Arnold Friberg from Meridian Magazine.

Planned Economy or Planned Destruction

I Saw this on Cato@Liberty and had to pass it along. It fits with our recent conversations. It is from the 1938 Chicago Tribune. If it is too small to read please follow this link. It's well worth it!

Stand Up!

It is difficult to stand up for what you believe in.

Surrounded by people who accept the commom line.

Challenged for your beliefs when you just want to enjoy

the baby shower

or shop in peace,

get through a days work,

or watch your childs performance.

To have a simple ready answer when your position was gleaned from years of reading, observing, and study.

Sometimes your passionate love of freedom can come as a shock to those who take it for granted.

Sometimes you want to run away but your love of freedom tells you to stand up.

This is the 20th Anniversary of the massacre at Tiananmen Square.

Let's keep our freedom, that our future generations won't have to fight to get it back.

Obama and the Constitution

A number of years ago our Current President Obama made the following Statement:

“And the Warren court interpreted it generally in the same way — that the Constitution is a document of negative liberties, says what the states can’t do to you, says what the federal government can’t do to you, but it doesn’t say what the federal government or state government must do on your behalf, and that hasn’t shifted.”- audio from 2001 Obama interview.

This is the man who has sworn (at least on the second try) to uphold our great document.

Our Constitution is all about limits. Inspired by God, it was created by men who had seen tyranny, injustice, and the impenetrable classes of British society at the time. It was created by men who thought seriously about the extent of reach the government should have on the lives of the citizens. The Constitution lays out the method by which our majority law would be accomplished, The Bill of Rights sets forth the personal rights that the majority, or the government, cannot encroach upon.

The beauty of the Constitution is found in it’s limits. The freedom of the people is ensured by it’s limits. Frankly, to have a leader who feels constrained by these limits worries me.

But then Maybe President Obama would prefer this reading……

-Lynnae

May Day

To my Scandanavian ancestors, the first of May was a day for celebrating life and renewal and the coming of spring. Girls in frilly dresses danced around the Maypole, a Queen of May was named, and an elderly neighbor might awaken to find a basket of flowers hanging on her door.
Since those lovely days, the date of May 1st has been taken over by those who would crush life rather than celebrate it, by those who desire to live off the fruits of another person's mind, and gain their comforts and desires from the sacrifices of others. It has been overrun by those who wish to punish the best and brightest, extinguish the aspirations and dreams, and claim your time and your life's work as their own simply because of their need and incompetence.

Here is my May Day prayer for you...

May no one interfere with the freedom God has given you.
May you be free to choose your own path.
May you and your loved ones enjoy the results of your labors.
May your government protect your rights rather than erode them.
May each dawn greet you with the freedom that was purchased by others at a dear price.