STATES, NOT WASHINGTON, D.C., NEED OUR ATTENTION -
By Chuck Baldwin March 20, 2009 NewsWithViews.com
It seems that most everyone focuses his or her attention on what is happening in Washington, D.C. People don't seem to get excited about politics until a national election rolls around or unless the President makes some startling announcement. Even well-meaning Christian leaders seem to spend the vast majority of their time dealing with policies that emanate from Washington, D.C. Already, I'm hearing leaders of the so-called Religious Right talk gushingly about who the next Presidential nominee of the Republican Party will be. Who cares? Do you mean to tell me that with all we have to deal with right now, we can't find anything else to talk about? How shallow--and utterly ineffective--can we be?
In the first place, Washington, D.C., is a lost cause. It really is. We have about as much chance of flying to the moon in a glider as we do of seeing any significant change in Washington, D.C. Neither the Republican nor Democrat parties at the national level offer any hope. The federal government is hell-bent on turning the United States into a socialistic global village, and the two major parties are in it up to their necks.
If the principles of freedom and independence have any chance of surviving the next few years, it will be because individual States have the courage to pick up the banner and fight. Therefore, freedom lovers need to focus their energy and attention more on State government and less on national politics.
For example, the State of Missouri is right now profiling supporters of independent Presidential candidates such as Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and myself as being potential "domestic terrorists." In addition, Missouri law enforcement personnel are being told that people who oppose things such as abortion, illegal immigration, gun control, the Federal Reserve, the North American Union, etc., are potential "terrorists."
See my original exposé on this story.
Remember, this report is being sanctioned by Missouri Governor Jeremiah (Jay) Nixon, the Missouri Highway Patrol, and the Department of Public Safety. In other words, the State of Missouri is officially endorsing the distorted statements, repulsive innuendoes, false accusations, and unwarranted warnings contained in this report. Whether the content of the report originated with the federal Department of Homeland Security or even with a private left-wing organization such as the Southern Poverty Law Center, it is the State of Missouri that is putting boots on the ground on behalf of this ridiculous report.
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That is the way it always is: no matter what happens in Washington, D.C., it is the individual State that (for the most part) is left holding the bag. Unfortunately, it seems that most State legislators and governors have forgotten that it is their responsibility to protect the liberties and freedoms of their citizens, and have been unwilling to hold the line for State sovereignty and independence. Instead, they have allowed the federal government to run roughshod over not only the U.S. Constitution, but also their own State constitutions and authority. In fact, one might be able to say that most States seem to think that Washington, D.C., is some kind of glorified Pied Piper, which they must always follow like blind sheep. This is not the kind of union our founders envisioned.
States were always viewed as being the final arbiters of their own destinies and decisions. Had America's Founding Fathers intended on Washington, D.C., being some sort of universal authority, the individual States would have all terminated when the Constitution was adopted in 1787. In other words, what Washington, D.C., thinks or wants means diddly-squat unless the State decides to go along with it.
Whether the issue is gun control, or environmental "protection," or smoke-free facilities, or land use codes, or police departments profiling potential "terrorists," or any other issue that the federal government wants to get its grubby little fingers into, it is the individual State that must choose to say either Yea or Nay.
Therefore, the time has come for us to focus on the kinds of legislators, governors, sheriffs, judges, etc., who are leading our respective States. We must focus on holding our State officials accountable to the principles of freedom and constitutional government. The battle that is taking place in Missouri right now is a classic example.
Missouri residents by the hundreds and thousands need to get involved in that battle immediately. I understand Oklahoma and New Hampshire are deciding on terrific State sovereignty bills at this very moment. Residents of the Sooner State and Granite State need to barrage their State legislators in support of these bills right now. Montana is currently deliberating a couple of great bills. One would bring back gold and silver, and one is a major gun rights bill. Residents of Big Sky Country need to step up to the plate right now and let their legislators and governor know how important it is to pass these bills. I could go on and on.
Folks, Washington, D.C., is a pigsty. There is no remedy for that place. It doesn't matter to a tinker's dam whether a Republican or Democrat is in the White House, or even which party controls Congress. If the last two Presidential administrations have not taught us that, we are brain-dead.
If there is any hope for lovers of freedom in this country, it will be found in individual States that are willing to shake off the filthy dust that has floated down from that putrid landfill on the banks of the Potomac, and stand up for freedom and independence the way Americans used to. And if the State we live in won't do it, we might want to consider moving to one that will, because if we lose our liberties, it will be our own individual State that will have run up the white flag.
P.S. Last Sunday, we began live-streaming my Sunday morning messages. I am sorry that our bandwidth was not sufficient to accommodate everyone who tried to watch us. I am told that this problem will be fixed by this Sunday. Therefore, I invite readers to join us online for my live-streamed message this Sunday, March 22, at approximately 10:30 a.m. (Central Daylight Time). Simply connect to the following url and follow the simple directions.
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Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state.
By now, readers should be familiar with the Missouri Information Analysis Center (MIAC) report dated 02/20/09 and titled, "MIAC Strategic Report: The Modern Militia Movement." In this dreadfully malicious and slanderous "law enforcement sensitive" secret police report, Governor Jeremiah (Jay) Nixon; John Britt, Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety; James Keathley, Colonel, Missouri State Highway Patrol; and Van Godsey, Director of MIAC categorize certain citizens as being potential violence-prone "militia members."
I would venture to guess that more than 75% of the entire population of the United States would fit the MIAC's broad definition of someone who would fall into the aforementioned category.
According to the MIAC report, if you oppose any of the following, you could qualify for being profiled as a potential dangerous "militia member":
The United Nations The New World Order Gun Control The violation of Posse Comitatus The Federal Reserve The Income Tax The Ammunition and Accountability Act A possible Constitutional Convention The North American Union Universal Service Program Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) Abortion Illegal Immigration
Again, I would bet that at least 75% of the American people would oppose at least one or more items on the above list.
Well, according to the MIAC report, that is sufficient to make them potential dangerous "militia members."
However, it is the following statement contained in the MIAC report that is particularly disturbing to yours truly. Under the heading "Political Paraphernalia," the report states, "Militia members most commonly associate with 3rd party political groups. It is not uncommon for militia members to display Constitutional [sic] Party, Campaign for Liberty, or Libertarian material. These members are usually supporters of former Presidential Candidate [sic]: Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, and Bob Barr."
The obvious inference of the above statement links Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and myself to potential dangerous "militia members."
The broader implication is that the millions of people who supported Ron Paul, Bob Barr, or myself are likewise categorized as potential dangerous "militia members."
This is a classic case of broad-brushed police profiling.
Can you imagine the fallout of this preposterous report had the names Jesse Jackson, Al Sharpton, and Maxine Waters been used instead of the names Ron Paul, Chuck Baldwin, and Bob Barr?
Accordingly, Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and I wrote a formal letter to the above-named Missouri officials demanding "that the following-described document be immediately removed from any and all websites associated with or maintained by the state of Missouri or any agency thereof, including the MIAC; that the said document no longer be circulated by the state of Missouri or any agency thereof or associated therewith; and that the state of Missouri repudiate its references to the three of us contained therein."
To view the full text of our letter to Governor Nixon of Missouri, click here.
Ladies and gentlemen, we simply cannot allow this kind of police profiling to continue. I assure you, this phenomenon is not limited to the State of Missouri. Every state that has a "Fusion Center" is being fed this kind of nonsense on a regular basis. You and I are commonly referred to as "extremists" in these secret police reports. This has been happening in earnest for the past couple of months and is operating under the auspices of the federal Department of Homeland Security. And people with a public platform (such as myself, Ron Paul, Bob Barr, and a host of others) are now being singled out by name. How long will it be before police agencies begin "picking up and hauling away" those people whose names are mentioned in these reports? It may be sooner than we think.
To see if your state has a "Fusion Center," click here.
The only thing that will stymie this nonsense is a huge public outcry opposing it. Yes, the people of this country (that means YOU) still have the power to put a stop to this kind of totalitarian thinking. If we do nothing, however, it will soon be too late to stop it. We either stop it now, or it will quickly mushroom into a leviathan that will both monitor and control the personal opinions and speech of every man, woman, and child in this country. No, I am not exaggerating.
The Feds already monitor virtually every phone call, email, and public speech in the country. How long before these secret police reports will be used as justification to arrest and incarcerate people because of their ideas and opinions, labeling them as a "threat" or as "dangerous" to society?
Here is the contact information for the appropriate officials in Missouri:
Email address: Brandon.middleton@mshp.dps.mo.gov
Missouri Information Analysis Center Division of Drugs & Crime Control P. O. Box 568 Jefferson City, MO 65102-0568 Phone: 573-751-6422 Toll Free: 866-362-6422 Fax: 573-751-9950
And while you are at it, you should also contact the state police agency as well as the governor's office in your state, especially if your state has a "Fusion Center" (see web site above). Mark it down: if you have ever publicly opposed any of the above-mentioned issues or organizations, or have ever publicly supported an independent Presidential candidate, YOU ARE BEING PROFILED RIGHT NOW!
We await the State of Missouri's response. In the meantime, what are you going to do?
P.S. Even as this column is being distributed, we have just received a reply from the Director of the Missouri Department of Public Safety, John Britt. I will analyze and respond to this statement in my next column.
*If you appreciate this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link.
Sign Up For Free E-Mail Alerts E-Mails are used strictly for NWVs alerts, not for sale
Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. In 1985 the church was recognized by President Ronald Reagan for its unusual growth and influence.
Dr. Baldwin is the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show on the Genesis Communications Network called, "Chuck Baldwin Live" This is a daily, one hour long call-in show in which Dr. Baldwin addresses current event topics from a conservative Christian point of view. Pastor Baldwin writes weekly articles on the internet http://www.ChuckBaldwinLive.com and newspapers.
To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state.
that's over and above the 500 Tons of the peoples Gold robbed from the central banks by the bolshevikz -
666 to give the people bigger massive tax burdens -
Stunning new evidence of manipulation in silver and gold has just been published by the Office of the Comptroller of the Currency (OCC), a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department.
Alex Jones Show - Emanuel & Obama - Gun-Grabbing Crime Bosses Inc. 1 of 5 -
Christians don't ever participate in the 666elitez bolshevikz - evilz of banksterz satanz recessionz or depressionz - the 666 force down on us - let thydemonz be in their own 666firez - don't go in it -
Europe’s Answer to the Financial Crisis?: Bigger (bolshevikz 666)Government - (only bolshevikz are asked and only their opinonz in the mediaz) :-(
"He Is Risen" - As we approach Resurrection Sunday, it behooves us to remind ourselves (Christians should need no reminder) of the significance of this season. Along with the virgin birth, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ form the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Indeed, the resurrection of Jesus separates Christianity from all the world's religions. Furthermore, the overwhelming number of America's founders understood the connection between the Christian faith and the rise of these United States. John Quincy Adams said....... http://www.newswithviews.com/baldwin/baldwin503.htm by Pastor Chuck Baldwin
Notre Dame’s Betrayal of Faith - When John the Baptist said to King Herod, “It is not lawful for thee to have thy brother's wife,” the price he paid was his head on a platter. He had spoken Absolute Truth to power in a time when power was absolute. It was the bravest of acts, the kind only undertaken by those very rare men for all seasons. Lying in stark contrast to this is catholic (note the small “c”) Notre Dame University’s genuflection before Barack Obama....... http://www.newswithviews.com/Duke/selwyn114.htm by Selwyn Duke
Twin Crises: Immigration & Mass Transit Infrastructure - Former U.S. House of Representatives congressman Tom Tancredo guest-hosted the Mike Rosen Show in Denver last week. With unemployment spiking at 11.1 percent nationally and a whopping 32.2 million Americans depending on food stamps for survival, Tancredo asked the question of the decade, “Why are we still importing 138,000 immigrants every 30 days, month in and month out, with our problems threatening to devastate our nation?”....... http://www.newswithviews.com/Wooldridge/frosty456.htm by Frosty Wooldridge
Bailout Indignation - by RALPH NADER - How about a test of your injustice barometer?
You might think that the reckless, avaricious, giant corporations, having shrunk the economy, cost millions of jobs and then demanded that taxpayers be dunned for years into the future for multi-trillion dollar bailouts, would show contrition, regret, or self-restraint of their power over Washington.
Forget it. They’re baaack! Their greed and power are revving up big time to bring Washington and you the taxpayer, you the parent, you the consumer, you the worker, to your knees. Here is a sample of the appalling dynamics of corporate greed and continuing over-reach each day in your nation’s capital.
1. Just when people thought the taxpayer-subsidized corporate student loan racket was ended by the Democrats, Sallie Mae, its cohorts and lobbyists, like Jamie S. Gorelick of FannieMae notoriety, are descending on Congress. The non-partisan Congressional Budget Office concluded that replacing these subsidized loans with direct Department of Education lending will save $94 billion over the next ten years.
It is long overdue to end this gouging, college payola giving, obscenely overcompensated industry, and give students an efficient and reasonable lending system. Still, Sallie Mae, Citigroup, Bank of America and others are swarming over Congress to retain a big piece of the action. “Why do we even need private lenders?” correctly asks Congressman Timothy H. Bishop, a former provost of Southampton College.
2. ABC News reports that banks are hiking already high credit card rates and other bank-related fees: “The Banks have been given billions of dollars of tax money and only lend it out if customers are willing to pay extortion rights,” said Tony Cesnik, a Concord, California, resident. Cesnik adds: “The banks need a legal spanking. They are acting like spoiled brats!” Elizabeth Warren, Harvard law professor and chair of the Congressional Oversight Panel agrees: “We’re asking taxpayers to pay twice.”
3. The big oil and gas companies are saturating the airwaves with ads warning about the Obama Administration’s alleged desire to tax them $400 billion. This will cost jobs and reduce the discovery of more oil and gas, they say. Where is this $400 billion figure from? Obama’s ambition is not much beyond repealing the tax breaks George W. Bush gave his oily friends for drilling in the Gulf of Mexico when oil was selling at less than $40 per barrel. Some of the oil industry’s own spokespersons admitted last year that their argument doesn’t hold water any more with such high oil prices and profits since then.
So what are the big oil corporations like Exxon doing with their excess profits that totaled a record $45 billion just for Exxon last year? They’re not even drilling on two-thirds of the acreage they have rights to explore. Instead Exxon is spending $35 billion to buy back its stock and hold in cash. When the next oil shock comes, Exxon will demand more tax breaks and other dispensations to fund its drilling. We’ve seen that game played out before at the gas pump.
4. Now comes Newsweek’s Michael Hirsh to report a private meeting recently between six senators and Obama in the White House where the president heard complaints that his proposed regulatory reforms were too weak and were being devised by his appointed officials who were part of the problem in Wall Street. Well, are you surprised that a new powerful lobby created by the likes of Citigroup, JPMorgan, and Goldman Sachs is gearing up to stop adequate regulation of “over the counter” derivatives, to keep these transactions secret, and to continue to permit what Hirsh called the “systemic risk that led to the crash.” This brazen move by the incorrigible banks is underway after they received huge bailout money from Washington. Beware they may yet demand and receive another big bundle.
5. With workers losing millions of jobs, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, the National Association of Manufacturers, and virtually the entire business juggernaut are amassing tens of millions of dollars to stop the union-facilitating “card-check” legislation and any effort to bring the federal minimum wage up to what is was back in 1968, no less, adjusted for inflation. It is now about three dollars short of that modest goal for hard-pressed laborers, many without health insurance.
6. And oh, how these company bosses are fighting to keep their big bonuses going as a reward for tanking many of their own companies. Call it hubris, arrogance, disdain for common decencies of the American people, it all reflects too much corporate power over our lives—a judgment over 75 percent of Americans share.
All this lobbying of Congress and the White House year after year pays off. A study by three Kansas University professors found that a single tax break in 2004 earned drug, manufacturing, and other companies $220 for every dollar they spent in their cash register politicking. Presently, Lockheed Martin is spending millions of our taxpayer dollars to oppose Obama, Defense Secretary Robert Gates, and many other defense experts who want to finally shut down the price-skyrocketing F-22 fighter extravaganza designed for combat in the Soviet Union-era.
So, are you more upset than when you started reading this column? Feel frustrated and powerless? With your friends, ask your Senators and Congressperson during their frequent recesses for a three-hour public accountability session. If you can assemble 300 or more residents, after you rev up your community, you’re likely to have your elected representatives come to an auditorium where you live and work. If they think 500 people will show up, it is even more likely. Especially if you are organized and tell them this is just the beginning. Just the beginning!
Without the rumble from the people back home, a majority of the 535 members of Congress will continue to kowtow to about 1500 corporations and you’ll pay the price again and again. So, rumble, rumble, rumble!
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