One of the things that I did to prepare for hitting all of the different campaign event throughout the southeast was to buy myself a new camera.

For the 2008 election, I used my husband’s Canon Rebel SLR camera. But I have very small hands (heck, I’m fairly small in general), and had a difficult time managing that big honking camera.

So this time I opted for a little smaller SLR and bought myself an Olympus pen camera, the ELP-1. It just came today and I feel somewhat like Goldilocks eating the baby bear’s porridge…..it’s just right.

Now I get to play with my new “toy” and figure out all of the ins and outs of how this little bugger works.

This is Mr. Politisite himself, hard at work. Many people don’t realize that he is a disabled vet and when he is in a lot of pain, we have set up a computer at home so that he can continue to write and get work done.

I did shoot this shot with the new Olympus and one of the art filters called “grainy black and white”.

Now it’s time to go and play with my new camera for awhile!

Every time I see a political ad or listen to a political show on TV, there is one thing that no one seems to be bringing up and it is really bothering me! Where is the budget? Why hasn’t Congress passed a budget?

Now, with the economy tightening my household purse strings, I have a budget, and I pretty much know where every cent that comes into the bank account goes. And we’ve definitely cut back on things that are luxuries in life. We don’t eat out or go to the movies. We’ve cut back our cable service. We are using more coupons and buying more store brands. We don’t eat steak every week anymore.

It seems to me that when times are tough financially in the country, the government shouldn’t continue to spend more and more of our money to try to “fix” the problem. They should be looking at what the average, everyday people are doing and start making cuts.

The first thing that should be cut is all congressional salaries. I can pretty much guarantee that not one congressman has a true grasp of what it means to cut back or go without. So they really don’t have a clue what a large percentage of Americans are going through each day.

We have health insurance, but because things are tighter, we still have to decide if we can afford to pay the co-pay amounts. So there have been a few times when we’ve decided NOT to see a doctor, because we simply didn’t have enough money.

The next step needs to be reducing the amount earned by a large portion of government workers. Most of these workers make significantly more than those working in the private sector.

Click on the link if you want to watch a video from Rightchange.com about the federal pay gap.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=15005181&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=1&color=&fullscreen=1&autoplay=0&loop=0

Federal Pay Gap from RightChange on Vimeo.

Does that open your eyes? It did mine.

Next, they need to start cutting back on all of the programs that are simply bailing people out. If you bought a house but didn’t have enough income, you should lose your house……because you shouldn’t have bought it in the first place!!! I didn’t purchase my house until I knew that I could afford it. And I didn’t attempt to purchase a home that was out of my price range. Because of that, I am able to make my payments! You must know that there are consequences to your actions. When you learn that, it will encourage you to make better choices in your life. It is only when we fail that we are able to learn from our mistakes. That is when we grow and mature.

As a country, we have fallen short. Having all of these programs that give people handouts do not teach them anything about personal responsibility. We are teaching that if they mismanage their finances then someone will be there to “take care of things”. That makes it much more difficult for those who legitimately need those services.

We have lost the strong work ethic of our parents and grandparents and it has been replaced with an attitude of entitlement. We have become a nation of spoiled rotten children who refuse to grow up. It is time that we change that mentality and started teaching our children and youth that they deserve nothing…..it has to be earned.

We also need to start holding our officials accountable. They work for us, not the other way around. If I handled my household business the way they have been running the country, then I would be living on the streets right now. It is time to stop worrying about “offending” others and holding our elected officials feet to the fire. Make them accountable to us about the money that they are spending. Make them put together a budget and live by it. You can begin to do that by voting!

So don’t forget to vote on November 2!!!

1. Stop calling me racist if I don’t believe in the policies of President Obama and his administration. Just because I don’t agree, does NOT make me a racist. If I don’t like spinach, does that make me a veggist? If I don’t like Lady Gaga, does that make me a Gagaist? If I don’t like cleaning toilets, does that make me a toilist? NO! I simply don’t like these things. That’s my choice in life. I don’t care what color skin someone has. If someone were white and held the same views, I would still not agree with them. Stop making it a race issue.

2. Along the lines of #1: I am not stupid or mentally ill because I disagree with your viewpoint. I am reasonable intelligent and can think for myself. I base my decisions on the values that are important to me. Values are good….you should try them out sometime. And by the way, I don’t feel the need to call you names continuously simply because I don’t agree with you. I respect your right to have those viewpoints and express them. The Constitution guarantees it. Respect my rights.

3. If something is illegal and there is a law against it……then people breaking that law need to be dealt with. Take for instance illegal immigrants. I’m sorry that people have had a difficult times in their own countries. But if enough people in those countries were empowered to make changes to their governments, then they could make the changes there, instead of coming here to the US and trying to change the rules to fit them here. I’m sorry, I have to show my identification if I’m pulled over. I have to show ID for pretty much everything that I do. It is not the holocaust reincarnated. To refresh your memory, the Nazis were killing those people after viewing their IDs, not deporting them, arresting them or sending them on their way.

4. If you are in this country illegally, you do NOT have the same rights as the citizens of this country. If I sneak into someone’s home it does not make me a resident. It is illegal and I will be arrested. If you really want to be a citizen of this country, do it the right way. Come into this country legally, learn the language, learn the customs and history of our country and become a citizen. My ancestors had to do it that way.

5. Even though times have been tough with the economy, it is NOT the end of the world and the walls are not tumbling down. The media keeps comparing it to the Great Depression, but back then people had it far worse than anything we experience.  We are just a society grumbling because we might have to have our cable or cell phones turned off, or we might not be able to buy ourselves the stuff we did when things weren’t so tough.  We just need to stop complaining so much and learn how to get back to the basics…..It won’t kill you, I promise. Many generations before us lived without most of the modern conveniences that we have today, and they did just fine. We will too.

6. Spending more and more money to “stimulate” the economy is a bunch of crap. When we have less money coming in at home, we cut back and reduce our spending. If money is tight in our household, going on a shopping spree is not going to stimulate our household economy. I’m pretty sure that it won’t work for our government either. In our homes we have to live according to a budget to make ends meet and pay our bills…..the government should learn to do the same. The government needs to stop acting like a college kid with free use of daddy’s credit card.  Daddy is getting tired of paying for it.

7. The government is not the place to look to have all of your needs met. Frankly, the government does a crappy job managing all of the programs that they already have in place. Businesses fire bad managers because under them profits decrease as fast as the morale of the employees. They are NOT given more responsibility.

8. Yes, I believe in God. And that also doesn’t make me stupid or mentally ill. I choose to believe in God because I’ve seen Him perform miracles in the lives of many people. I haven’t seen that from the government. Besides, there is far less red tape with God. We all have a direct line to Him.

9. I disagree with abortion. Why? Because I believe in personal responsibility. Yes, a woman has rights when it comes to her body. She has the right to say no.

10. The Constitution is not optional. It was written the way it was for a reason. The founding fathers had endured a great deal and had to fight for the freedom that is being taken for granted today. They knew what they were doing far more than we do because they HAD to fight for that freedom. Today’s government does not know better than the founding fathers did.

11. Voting for elected official is not like voting on American Idol. It is not about who looks the best, who is the most popular or who gives the best performance. It is about the character of the candidate and what they stand for. Elected officials and political candidates are not “rock stars”. They are men and women who have to manage the largest company we have….our country.

12. This is a great country that we live in. We are the first country to respond to other countries in crisis. Stop apologizing for us. We are proud to be Americans!! If you don’t like what is going on in this country…….MOVE.

I have been thinking a lot about what this country has become and I have just a couple of  questions….what has happened to the American sense of pride. The strong work ethic that used to be so prevalent? What has happened to responsibility and accountability?

Recently, I’ve been compiling a collection of stories that had been written about my great grandparents, great aunts, great uncles and my own grandfather as they moved from Finland to Michigan in the 1920′s. My great grandfather was injured and ultimately died as the result of an industrial accident leaving my great grandmother to raise eight children on her own. My great grandmother received no settlement for his injuries or death.  Just after my great grandfather passed away, the stock market crash of 1929 occurred, which led to the great depression. But nowhere in any of the stories of my family was there talk of looking to the government for a handout. They simply did any job necessary to bring in money, cut corners where they could and banded together as a family. The people in the community did what they could to help one another as well. They rallied around one another, never once complaining about having to work long hours or giving up things in life. They simply did what had to be done in order to survive.  They relied on themselves and their own resources. And they made it through using creativity, innovation, sweat, and pure gumption. They were responsible for themselves.  Too many Americans do not understand that anymore.

Today, the news commentators talk about how things are the worst that they’ve been since the Great Depression. But we take for granted how bad things really were then. Unemployment had reached almost 25%. And welfare didn’t exist. What we are experiencing now is nothing compared to what they faced then. And even with a recession and economic worries, we are still far more blessed than so many other countries in the world. We’ve just become to spoiled to realize it.

The welfare programs that we have in the US today are a direct result of the Great Depression and both welfare and social security were created in the last half of the Great Depression to try to ease the pain that Americans were feeling at that time. But the same welfare program, which was created to help those who needed assistance has also created a huge problem in our country. It has made us become too reliant on the government to solve our problems and has taken away the spirit that previous generations possessed that motivated them to buckle down and do anything they could to get by. The ideal of working hard for the things you want is becoming obsolete. The dying of these principles is slowly killing creativity and innovation within our homes. We are losing the art of problem solving, because it has become far too easy on relying on someone or something else to solve our problems for us.

It has become a new form of slavery. Where once, proud Americans used their sweat, ingenuity and tears to see them through the difficult times, now when the going gets rough, our hands go out. We expect the government to save us. But we’ve forgotten that we need to save ourselves. And so the entitlement programs continue to grow, and continue to be developed at a rapid pace. And the country’s sense of entitlement grows right along with it. Too many are simply too ignorant or apathetic to even care about where the money comes from to “bail them out”.

These are only a couple of examples, but I know that there are many more out there. When did we become a lazy country? And when did we get to the point that so many people began to believe that you can get something for nothing? Whenever the word “free” is involved, there is always a price. And it is frightening to know that there are people out there who do not understand where that “free” money comes from…..out of the pockets of those who are willing to work long hours and earn their money. As we become more and more dependent on the government to supply our needs, an unhealthy relationship forms. We lose more and more of our freedom to make decisions for ourselves. Then we lose more and more of our actual rights, and ultimately, the government is in control of every aspect of our lives. It becomes our master and we realize that we are no longer in charge of our own lives.

This week, the president signed the very controversial health care reform bill into law. A bill that was put together because some in Washington feel that health care is a “right”. Another example of how the government is more fully an imposing presence in our lives. But we do still have a choice. We have the choice, and the right to speak out against the ever growing government. We have the right to vote and allow our votes to remove those who would continue to work towards making our government larger and elect those who would give more power back to the people. Most importantly, we have the right to pray, and enlist the help of our Creator, who has far more power than anyone in Washington. And we can begin to educate those who may out of ignorance not know any better. We must help them to understand what the consequences of becoming enslaved to the government and losing our freedom is really all about.

So today, the choice is yours. Are you willing to work hard for the things that you want in life? Or are you willing to give up your freedom for an easy handout?

1. You shall have no other gods before Obama
2. Do not worship false idols, for we are a jealous Congress.
3. You shall not take any liberal name in vain (but conservatives are fair game!)
4. Remember tax day and keep it holy. You shall work 7 days a week because you’ll need the extra money to cover the taxes we are adding to your income.
5.Honor your Senators and Representatives that you may live long on the earth (after all, we control your life)
6. You shall not kill….any bill that we, the democrats want to get passed.
7. You shall commit adultery, whenever you feel like it (why not, we do)
8. You shall not steal……that’s our job.
9. You shall not bear false witness against your neighbor, if they are liberal. Go ahead if they are conseratives.
10. You won’t need to covet anything that belongs to your neighbor because once we’re done, everyone will have exactly the same things.

Politisite and Iron Mill News has learned that South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford has agreed to speak at the Columbia National Tax Day Tea Party on April 15, 2009 at 1 p.m. ET.

For addtional information please see the National Tax Day Tea Party Website.

Source: Politisite.wordpress.com

Being your average Jane, I did not have a firm understanding of the differences between the two and the type of impact that change would have on the lives of the average citizens of our fair country. So I began to research. The more I researched, the angrier I became.

I began with a simple search for the terms capitalism and socialism.

According to Merriam-Webster.com, the definition of capitalism is:

: an economic system characterized by private or corporate ownership of capital goods, by investments that are determined by private decision, and by prices, production, and the distribution of goods that are determined mainly by competition in a free market.

On Merriam-Webster. com, the definition of socialism is:

1: any of various economic and political theories advocating collective or governmental ownership and administration of the means of production and distribution of goods

2 a: a system of society or group living in which there is no private property b: a system or condition of society in which the means of production are owned and controlled by the state

3: a stage of society in Marxist theory transitional between capitalism and communism and distinguished by unequal distribution of goods and pay according to work done.

Okay, so I now know the definitions. And so far I do not like what the definition of socialism has to offer. Where is the freedom that this country is so accustomed to?

Well, since  I clearly I did not know about the implications of this “change” I decided to go back and see what our founding Fathers had to say in the Declaration of Independence and the US Constitution. They did form this country after all, so they know what the US was intended to be.

The Declaration of Independence says:

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, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security.

Source: www.ushistory.org/Declaration/document/index.htm

So the Declaration states that we have the right to life. Hmm, I guess the pro-choice crowd has forgotten that line. They’ve tried to convince the country that a fetus is not a “life”. Well it’s moving, has a beating heart and can’t survive without nourishment. Isn’t that what most living creatures do?

The next right is liberty. But if the government is taking over banks, insurance and car companies with the idea of “bailing them out”, who is to say that one day that power won’t stretch out to include “taking over” the companies, small or large of those of us who don’t share the same values and ideals with them? It’s not such a far fetched idea. They’ve given themselves the authority to “fire” CEO’s of private companies. What’s next?

And soon they will be telling my how much of my money I have to fork over to those who don’t have what I have. And I don’t even make the proposed $250,000 a year. But it will happen. The definition and amount of income that one must make to be considered “wealthy” has been steadily shrinking in the minds of the Obama administration.

Then we have the right to pursue happiness. It certainly isn’t a guarantee. And it doesn’t say that it is our right to have our mortgage covered by the hard working citizens of the country, simply because we bought a house we knew ultimately that we could not afford. Nor does it say that we have the right to health care, welfare checks or the like. That is not a right guaranteed to us. Yes the preamble of the Constitution says that it is to promote the general Welfare, but the definition is as follows:

welfare n. 1. health, happiness, or prosperity; well-being. [<ME wel faren, to fare well] Source: AHD

Welfare in today’s context also means organized efforts on the part of public or private organizations to benefit the poor, or simply public assistance. This is not the meaning of the word as used in the Constitution.

Source: www.usconstitution.net/glossary.html#WELFARE

Unfortunately, there are way too many citizens of this country who have a sense of entitlement that allows them to believe that welfare has a different meaning in the Constitution, and they have redefined the word instead of defining it by the standards of our founding fathers.

The socialist democrats (including our president) believe in a redistribution of wealth. But I would guarantee that the multi-millionaires of Congress will not have to participate in the extensive taxation that will be forced on those who work hard to earn a comfortable living. They complain about the wealthy elite in the country, but they are a PART of the wealthy elite. They just don’t recognize it. And they continue to redefine the founding documents of this country to fit their own agendas. Or completely disregarding them all together. They do this frequently with our Constitution.

So, now let’s take a look at parts of the Constitution.

Starting with the 1st amendment:

Freedom of Religion, Press

Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the Government for a redress of grievances.

Source: www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am1.html

There was a story that was splashed along the headlines of all of the conservative media sites recently about Cape Coral Fl banning a Tea Party protest. They tried to squash the 1st amendment rights there, but ultimately failed. The Tea Party was ultimately re-coordinated by a different individual.

And how many liberals in government, in the entertainment industry or in the media try to use bully tactics to try to manipulate us from speaking out. They are going to extraordinary lengths to do so. We cannot criticize the President without being a racist.  If you speak your mind on a blog, you are guaranteed to have liberals who feel the need to comment and let you know exactly what an idiot they believe you to be (I’m certainly expecting my fair share of them after this post). And heaven forbid, that you are a female conservative. You will be labelled as weak minded idiots who are suffering from some form of mental illness.

Actually, I am a woman, and according to the IQ tests, I’m actually pretty intelligent. And I guarantee that it would be tough to find a therapist who would say that I am dealing with any form of mental illness. And I know plenty of other conservative ladies out there who are normal, intelligent and healthy women. So I guess that liberal idea just doesn’t hold up.

Many liberals in Congress are threatened by conservatives who speak out and have tried to reinstate the Fairness Doctrine in order to force conservative media outlets to provide the opportunity for opposing viewpoints. I’m actually surprised at this, since the media is more than slanted to the left. It could be a double edge sword for them, as then, a conservative viewpoint would have to be offered. I can just see Olbermann’s face now!

Okay moving on to amendment 2:

Right to Bear Arms

A well regulated Militia, being necessary to the security of a free State, the right of the people to keep and bear Arms, shall not be infringed.

Source: www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am1.html

Can you say gun control? That’s the Obama Administration’s agenda. Here are a couple videos about this issue.

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0_M-rZcaAWA

Source: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=beiydW83TYg

Wouldn’t it be better for the government to begin enforcing the current gun laws and work a little harder to get all of the illegal guns off of the street? It isn’t the upstanding citizens who own guns that are causing the bulk of the problem. It is the thugs who are buying illegal weapons that are the problem. Oh, yeah, I forgot. The government doesn’t like to enforce laws. That way, congress might actually have to observe and follow the law!

Jumping ahead to Amendment 14:

Citizenship Rights

All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside.

Source: www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am14.html

Illegal immigrants are NOT citizens of the United States. And furthermore, members of congress, and many members of multiple state goverments are consciously BREAKING THE LAW by giving these illegals a free pass and treating them as citizens. The constitution defines what a US citizen is.

Even more shocking is that the US Code (Title 8, Chapter 12, Subchapter II, Part VIII, 1325) says:

Presidential Term Limits

1. No person shall be elected to the office of the President more than twice, and no person who has held the office of President, or acted as President, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected President shall be elected to the office of the President more than once. But this Article shall not apply to any person holding the office of President, when this Article was proposed by the Congress, and shall not prevent any person who may be holding the office of President, or acting as President, during the term within which this Article becomes operative from holding the office of President or acting as President during the remainder of such term.

2. This article shall be inoperative unless it shall have been ratified as an amendment to the Constitution by the legislatures of three-fourths of the several States within seven years from the date of its submission to the States by the Congress.

Source: www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am22.html

This has already been brought up on Capitol Hill. The citizens of this country should be terrified by this. There were term limits set for Presidents for a reason. To eliminate the formation of a dictatorship. It is clearly defined in Amendment 22.

H.J.Res 5 is sponsored by Rep. Jose Seranno (D-NY) and was introduced on January 6, 2009. It is a proposed amendment to repeal the 22nd Amendment of the Constitution, therefore removing any term limits for a President.  It has currently been sent to the House Judiciary Committee (formed by 39 Representatives: 23 democrats and 16 republicans). On February 9, it was referred to the Subcommittee on Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties.

You can check out more about this bill at www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=hj111-5

Alright, now let’s take a look at Amendment 26.

Voting Age Set to 18 Years

1. The right of citizens of the United States, who are eighteen years of age or older, to vote shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of age.

2. The Congress shall have power to enforce this article by appropriate legislation.

Source: www.usconstitution.net/xconst_Am26.html

Now, as of today, Congress hasn’t written up any resolutions to repeal this amendment. But liberals all over the internet are calling out for it to happen and for the voting age to be reduced to 16.  So although it hasn’t happened yet, be prepared to face this one in the future. The Dems want to get as many voters out to vote for them as possible.

So the current President of the United States and democrats in Congress are changing the Constitution and the Declaration of Independence to fit their agendas. They are trying to change this country into something that it’s not. They are using their power to get around the laws, they are reducing the amount of freedom that we have. They are trying to prevent us from speaking out. They are working to take away our right to protect ourselves.

No I really don’t like socialism. And Washington reeks of the stench of it right now. But we can stand up and speak out. We can begin to educate ourselves and others about what is really going on. Many just aren’t aware. I know I wasn’t. It’s up to us to continue on with our modern revolution.

So is socialism your cup of tea? If not, join your local Tea Party, and let your voice be heard.

TAX DAY TEA PARTY INFORMATION

Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=OWGCXY2dAdI

Source: www.youtube.com/watch?v=1vKr95e5aIE

And I was enjoying his music right up to the part where he felt the need to shout “I love you, Barack Obama.” Now, I can’t say that I was offended. I believe that everyone has the right to believe in the political beliefs of their choosing. Isn’t it great that we live in a country that allows us to do that? What stunned me is the unfiltered way the left has of sharing their beliefs in the midst of “entertainment”. And the frequency with which they do it.

Liberal entertainers are more than comfortable sharing their “opinions” with the nearest available camera crew for public consumption. And they thrive on it. Well, frankly, I’m tired of it! If I’m choosing to view something for entertainment, then entertain me! Don’t share your political views because I don’t want to hear them.

We’ve seen it a lot. Kanye West declaring “George Bush hates black people” during a televised charity fundraiser for Katrina victims. Natale Maines from the Dixie Chicks and her comment about “being ashamed that the President of the United States is from Texas” at a concert in London in 2006. Stevie Wonder on American Idol tonight. And scores of other television, movie and music celebrities that are way too long to even begin listing.

But as I’m sitting here behind my keyboard, there is something else that strikes me to the core. As conservatives, we are just not accustomed to speaking out. What are we afraid of? Political correctness? Not offending someone or hurting someones feelings? Or just plain not wanting to rock the boat? Well, maybe it’s time to be politically incorrect, offend a few people and start the boat a-rocking. We need to start acting like crickets.

Let me explain.

It was several years ago on a chilly November night in South Carolina. I was putting some items outside in my storage closet. The night was freezing cold, dark and very quiet. Except for one sound. In the distance I heard one lone little cricket chirping for all he was worth. This cricket’s chirp was shaky, but he kept going and going. All of the other crickets had retreated to warmer and safer places, but not this little guy. He continued on through the dark and the cold. He could’ve given up, but he didn’t.

I think this little cricket represents what we are beginning to see in this country. It’s not just a grassroots movement, but a cricket revolution. We’re starting to hear more and more chirping in the distance.

Yes, this world is dark. Yes, it’s cold. And there’s an awful lot of silence going on out there with conservatives. Too many others have retreated to where it’s warm and comfortable. To a place of complacency. We need to follow the example of that cricket. We need to come out into the world and let our voices be heard. When we don’t agree with what’s going on in Washington, we need to speak out. Get involved and be proactive.

That little cricket kept chirping even though he didn’t know if anyone else out there heard him. But someone did. If we keep speaking out, I guarantee there will be others who hear. And we may even begin to coax them out of their comfortable places.

So now I have just one question for you. Will you choose to stay in your warm and comfortable place? Or do you choose to be a cricket?