Response from Representative Bill Posey

July 30, 2009

Mr. Matthew Wiser
834 Bianca Drive Northeast
Palm Bay, FL 32905-5802

Dear Mr. Wiser,

The House of Representatives is planning a vote on comprehensive health care reform legislation (H.R. 3200) in September, and I want to share with you my concerns about this bill.

Washington has passed an unprecedented level of spending since January: $350 billion for the TARP bailout, a $410 billion omnibus appropriation bill, a $1 trillion stimulus bill, a record $3.5 trillion federal budget, and an $864 billion national energy tax. This spending level is unmatched in our nation's history. I voted against all of these bills. We will have a $1.8 trillion deficit this year and $1.5 trillion in 2010. This will increase our total national debt by 30% over two years – accumulating more debt in two years than between 1776 and 1991.

Unfortunately, I believe H.R. 3200 would only make this situation worse by adding trillions of dollars in spending and unfunded long-term costs and creating a new federal bureaucracy to run the nation's health care system. The President said that one of his top priorities was passing health care reform legislation that would control costs, yet the Director of the non-partisan Congressional Budget Office testified on July 17, that the proposed health care legislation "significantly expands the federal responsibility for health-care costs."

Rather than curbing health care costs, Director Elmendorf said the costs would increase significantly. He added that "the federal budget is on an unsustainable path…will produce growing budget deficits… which in turn would depress economic growth in the United States." H.R. 3200 will further indebt future generations and cause serious harm to our overall economy. H.R. 3200 also greatly expands Washington's role in health care, but perhaps you might expect this given that the seven coauthors of this bill have spent a combined 205 years in the U.S. Congress. Washington has proven time and again that it is incapable of running effective, sustainable programs and Americans should expect more of the same from this bill.

This bill would move more than 100 million Americans from private health plans into the new government plan, where health care decisions will be decided by government bureaucrats whose chief aim is to control cost. This violates my primary principle: letting Americans keep their current health care plan if they so desire. 80% of Americans want to keep their current plan.

H.R. 3200 would put us on the path toward eliminating private health insurance choices. Here is how, as set forth on page 16. The bill sets up a new government-run program. Then after this program is established, insurance companies are prohibited from issuing any indiviudal policies outside of the new government programs. Americans without insurance would have no choice but to sign up for a plan under the government program that meets the govenment mandated benefits. Within the government program, the government plan (called the public option/government-run option) will pay providers 30% less than the non-government option. This lower price will entice millions of individuals and employers to drop current coverage and move to the government-run plan.

For those who remain outside of the government program, any change in jobs will end their existing coverage and force them into the government program. As fewer and fewer Americans are insured outside of the government program, the cost of medical coverage for those who remain in private plans will rise dramatically, and these plans will be unable to offer affordable coverage. At a health care rally earlier this year, Rep. Jan Schakowski, a leading national single payer advocate argued that this is a step toward a single payers system, stating: "This is a strategy about getting there and I believe we will."

In addition to the unsustainable costs and centralizing control of your health care in Washington, this bill harms the lifeblood of our economy: America's small businesses. Millions of small businesses are struggling to keep their doors open, yet H.R. 3200 imposes additional costly mandates and higher taxes. The U.S. unemployment rate is at a 26 year high of 9.4% and climbing. This is the worst time to impose costly mandates. According to a model developed by President Obama's Council of Economic Advisors Chair, Christina Romer, such a proposal could cost as many as 4.7 million jobs. This would be in addition to the 2.5 million jobs that may be lost due enactment of the National Energy Tax recently passed by the House.

Small businesses face several significant tax increases from the Congress and Administration: health care mandated pay-or-play or payroll taxes; new income taxes for successful small businesses; the expiration of the Bush tax cuts and resulting higher taxes; and cap-and-trade national energy taxes. All of these tax hikes and costly mandates would cripple our economy, hamper economic recovery, and lead to persistently higher unemployment. We need to free the engines of economic growth not saddle them the excesses of government.

My website, www.posey.house.gov/issues, has additional information regarding this bill and my ideas for solutions to the problem of the high cost of medical care. I will continue to advocate for reforms that focus on lowering costs, expanding Health Savings Accounts (HSAs), and enabling small businesses to pool resources to lower costs for their employees. Please visit my website to learn more about the bill, my solutions, and to take my constituent survey.

Sincerely,

Bill Posey
Member of Congress

Confirmation# 1705718


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What You Need To Know About Health Care

With all of the lies and hype in the media, there are some things that we need to make sure that people understand about what we will end up with if we allow a Government takeover of health care, and that they are lying in order to try to ram it through.

First of all, the number of uninsured that we hear about every day on various news outlets. Probably the number most often thrown around is 47 million, although you do also hear 50 million, 46 million, 46.5 million, and so on. You must understand somethings about this number to see that it is a complete lie. First of all, they use the 47 million figure to try to make you think that there are 47 million American Citizens that are chronically uninsured and simply have no hope of ever being covered. The truth is that some of this number, around 9 to 12 million, is illegal aliens, and not citizens at all. Another large chunk of this number comes from people who were without health insurance for less than four months while they were out of work, but had no serious long term lapse. Another large chunk is young people who can easily afford health insurance, but choose not to buy it, because they simply feel that they don't need it. So when the numbers are analyzed and understood, the fact is that there are somewhere from 10 to 15 million chronically uninsured American Citizens. Still an issue, but clearly something that doesn't require a Government takeover of health care to solve.

Another point is that in the United States being uninsured is not the same thing as not having access to health care. Because of laws in this nation, anyone who shows up at an Emergency Room must be evaluated and treated until they are stable, without regard to their ability to pay. By saying this I'm not trying to make a claim that the issue is solved, simply that we do not have millions of people dying in the streets because they don't have health care. Are there still some horror stories? Sure, but they do not arise from the fact that people are uninsured, and therefore, overhauling the insurance industry will not affect them in the slightest.

Furthermore, it must be understood that the claims made by the proponents of a Government takeover of health care are simply not possible. They claim that they will cover more people (47 million by their own claims) and expand services, while at the same time reducing costs. That is just utterly ridiculous on it's face. The only way that they can reduce costs is by rationing the care. That is to say that for each year there are X number of dollars available for each area of care, and once those dollars are gone, they are gone, and we don't do any more of that until next year. That means that they have to assign priority to different people to see who they will spend some of those precious few dollars on, and if you are old, or have some condition that renders you unable to hold down a job, and thereby pay taxes, you will not be the priority, you will simply be left to die, so that you won't burden the system for the "productive members of society." I'm not kidding, one of the main advisers on health care to the Obama Administration has stated in the past the Health Care dollars should not be spent on people with dementia or some other debilitating disease, and that he doesn't think that age discrimination is wrong because, now listen to this reasoning, everyone who is 65 was once 25.

If this plan gets pushed through, it will not be doctors and patients making choices about health care, it will be faceless, nameless, bureaucrats in cubicles, thousands of miles away, to whom you are nothing more than a number and a formula. These people who are pushing this plan accuse the Republicans of being the "party of No," claiming that we simply say no, and don't offer alternative plans. Of course this is another big lie, we have some plans that would actually work to make Health Care better, but even if we didn't, there would be nothing wrong with standing up and saying "NO" to making it worse.

Doing Vs. Waiting On The LORD

How Much is $1 Trillion

John Piper On The ESV Study Bible

What If I Can't Believe In Jesus?

"Oh, You Believe in Absolutes? What are They?"

"Oh, You Believe in Absolutes? What are They?"

Gregory Koukl

A favorite ploy of professors whose teaching on relativism is challenged in class is to ask, “If you believe in moral absolutes, what are they?” A person might offer that it’s immoral to dock the professor’s pay just because he’s Jewish, or African-American, or a woman, or approves of homosexuals (or whatever your professor’s hot-button happens to be).

Chances are, though, if you suggest a moral absolute, he’ll cite those who disagree. He may think he’s made his case, but his reasoning is circular. He’s only repeating the error you’re challenging: It doesn’t follow that if different people—or different cultures, for that matter—have moral differences that none is correct and morals are relative.

The professor’s ploy is to change the subject. He challenges you to defend your view, but you haven’t expressed a view. He, however, is making a specific claim about morality and is sidestepping the challenge. The burden of proof is on him.

Students should not be afraid to challenge their professors if they do it with grace and respect. Respond this way:

Professor, it doesn’t really matter what I believe. I’m not making the claim. You are. I may even be on your side, for all you know. I’m just asking you to prove your point.

But when I ask a fair question, you change the subject and throw it back on me. You’re the one teaching morality is relative because you think cultures have different values. I’m simply asking if that works. So, please tell me how your conclusion follows.

Suggested resource: Tactics in Defending the Faith DVD

©1999 Gregory Koukl. Reproduction permitted for non-commercial use only.
For more information, contact Stand to Reason at 1438 East 33rd St., Signal Hill, CA 90755
(800) 2-REASON (562) 595-733

A Remnant Of Beauty

So often we, as Christians, will look at the world around us and talk about the beauty that we see there. In fact, sometimes you will hear Christians, or preachers, go on and on about the beauty and wonder of God's Creation, but is this really warranted? Well, it depends on how you're looking at it. It is true that there are ceaseless wonders in God's Creation, and it is true that there is beauty, but it's not as good as it could be.

You see, because of sin in this world, instead of the Paradise that God initially created, since the fall, we are surrounded on all sides by death, destruction and despair. In Genesis 1:31 we read, "And God saw everything that he had made, and behold, it was very good. And there was evening and there was morning, the sixth day." (ESV) God is calling His Creation "very good." That's not good by our standards, that's good by God's standards, that is beauty and wonder beyond what we can even imagine, but that's not the world that we live in today. Romans 8:20-22 says, "²⁰For the creation was subjected to futility, not willingly, but because of him who subjected it, in hope ²¹that the creation itself will be set free from its bondage to corruption and obtain the freedom of the glory of the children of God. ²²For we know that the whole creation has been groaning together in the pains of childbirth until now." (ESV) So it can be seen that it was not only humans that were affected by the fall, but all of Creation is in "bondage to corruption" because of the curse of sin, and will be until God sets all things right at the end of the age.

So, God created all things in total perfection, and that total perfection was despotically ravaged by man's fall into sin. At the end of time, when the Lord Jesus Christ returns to this earth, and all of humanity is resurrected, either to eternal Glory, or to eternal destruction, God will restore His creation to it's ultimate perfection, and it's glorious beauty, which will never be desecrated again.

For the time being though, we live with a fallen world, and all the beauty that we see around us is but a remnant of the former beauty that God's Creation once was. So, if the remnants of beauty that can be seen in mountains and flowers and creatures, and many other things, are moving and stirring to us now, just wait, because we haven't seen anything yet!

Punishments

Would Hitler and Mother Teresa Suffer the Same Fate if They Weren't Christians?

Gregory Koukl

Yes and no. No, because they'd answer for different crimes and, as such, their judgment would be different. Just as there are degrees of sin (see John 19:11), there are degrees of punishment. Jesus said Sodom would fare better than Capernaum in the day of judgment (Matthew 11:24), though each would be condemned.

Yes, because each person must ultimately answer for his own sins--Hitler for his, Mother Teresa for hers, you and I for ours. Unless, of course, Jesus is allowed to answer for them.

That is the good news: Jesus, though rich, for our sake became poor, that we through His poverty might become rich (2 Cor. 8:9).

©1999 Gregory Koukl. Reproduction permitted for non-commercial use only.
For more information, contact Stand to Reason at 1438 East 33rd St., Signal Hill, CA 90755
(800) 2-REASON (562) 595-7333 www.str.org

How About A Prayer For Billy Mays?

All we have heard about for nearly two weeks now is Michael Jackson. They have been treating him like some kind of conquering hero. I was going to say they've been treating him like Jesus, but let's face it, he's been getting much better press than Jesus. My purpose here is not to denigrate Jackson, I've acknowledged before that he was a big celebrity and that his death and things surrounding it are news, but the nonstop coverage and singing of his praises has been way out of hand. The fact is that he was a deeply troubled man, and really, not someone you would want as a role model for your children. And that's based on the hard and fast facts, not even taking into account the allegations. I know I'll have to talk about that a little, so let me just say this, we don't know for sure if Jackson did in fact molest those boys. It is true that he was never convicted, and it is also true that he paid off some families, neither of which proves for sure if he did or didn't. There are some people who I respect that claim that there is no way he did that, and there are people I respect who say that it is certain that he did. Either way, he's no role model.

Lost in this virtual sea of Jackson coverage has been Billy Mays. Unlike Jackson, Mays' death was not connected to drug use. There's not some huge mystery surrounding it. He hit his head when is plane came down hard on the runway, and he thought he was fine. The next morning he was dead. This actually gave the news outlets a great opportunity in one way, that is that they could have spent quite a bit of time talking with medical experts about head injuries and when you need to take them very seriously. I'm sure that there was some of that, but not nearly enough, because they just couldn't wait to get back to stories about Jackson (like tracking down his former pet monkey!). So, while Jackson's death, tragic as it may be, is linked to drugs, Billy Mays died going about his job and life.

Also, Billy Mays was a good man. A father, a son, a husband. He didn't start out as the worlds premier pitchman, he had to work at it. He learned to ply his trade on the Boardwalk in Atlantic City, pitching products to the people there, no small task I'm sure. He found something he liked to do, and he worked very hard at it, and became, quite frankly, the very best in the world at what he did.

If you watched the show he co-stared in on the Discovery Channel, "Pitchmen," you would see that Billy could be a little cocky at times, and was a little quirky, but we all have flaws, and I can see where it could be tough not to be a little bit cocky if you were the very best in the entire world at what you do, so I'm not even hammering him on that. Still, I have to say again, he was a good man. He was the type of guy you could see yourself hanging out with and talking to. Yes he was quite wealthy, but as I said before, he worked long and hard to get there.

I so enjoyed watching "Pitchmen" that I was utterly floored when I first learned of his death. Believe me when I say, I have nothing but sympathy for his family. I do pray for them often, and hope that they turn to God for the strength to get through this tough time.

I understand that Billy Mays might not be as big of a news story as Michael Jackson, but would it be ok, maybe, to take a break from the building up of a man who doesn't deserve all the praise, and remember a man who does?

What Is God's Glory?

A Very Old Argument

When he was on the campaign trail, then candidate, Obama talked a lot about change, and said that it was time for new, fresh ideas. However, as soon as he became President, he bought into the same old arguments for Government intrusion into the Economy and American life. Something always seemed really off to me about the whole "too big to fail" argument. And as for Obama himself, he likes to say that he really doesn't want to take over companies and such, but he just has to, because of the economy. Basically saying that, while having the Government take over everything would be bad, the economy would just collapse if he doesn't do it.

Aside from the fact that all of the things that he has done will not do anything to fix the economy (Yes, I know Bush started some of this stuff, but Obama has started quite a bit more, and has ramped up all the stuff that Bush started), there was something else that I couldn't quite nail down. Then it finally hit me. This is an argument so old that no one alive today actually heard it first hand. However, if you've studied American History in depth at all, you have heard this argument before, it went something like this, "Well, personally I don't think we should have Slavery in the United States, but if we get rid of it, the economy will collapse, so we just have to accept Slavery." In that case the truth was that the people making that argument were either cowards, unwilling to stand up for what was right and take some risks, or, more likely, they were really pro Slavery and looking for an excuse to continue the practice. In the current case we are looking at people, from Obama on down, who really do want to install a Marxist Government, and are using the excuse of the economy to do it.

While personal Slavery is certainly a worse form of Slavery than Marxist enslavement, under the Marxist system it is the entire populace that is enslaved.

It really is remarkable to me that the very same argument that was used by the pro Slavery crowd 150 years go, is now being used by another group whose interest lies in enslaving us all.

Trying To Understand Palin

Friday afternoon when I turned on the news to see what was going on in the world, I found out that there really was some big news breaking. There was Governor Sarah Palin announcing that she would not seek re-election as Governor of Alaska. My very first reaction to this news was just a little bit of excitement. I figured that this meant that for sure she was going to be running for President in 2012. I thought, hey, that's great, she's not going to be one of those that spends two years on the campaign trail while they're supposed to be doing another job, that's great! But she wasn't done. She went on to say that later this month she will be resigning as Governor of Alaska. Now, what to make of this? Honestly, at that moment, I just didn't know. I thought a lot about it. I wondered a lot of things. Certainly she has no duty to run for a second term, but, I wondered, doesn't she have a duty to complete the term that she was elected to? I had some serious thinking to do, and I needed to review what Governor Palin herself had said in her announcement. I did that, and I thought about it. I discussed it some over at the TalkWisdom blog, and Saturday morning I listened to "The Mark Levin Show" from Friday night. After all of this, I think I have some understanding of what is going on. At least based on the facts that are now before us.

It seems that we must understand that Governor Palin had some very specific things that she wished to accomplish as Governor of Alaska, many of which have been accomplished, and some of which she has been able to lay the groundwork for. Further, ever since John McCain asked her to be his running mate in last years Presidential election, she has been plagued with ethics charges, all of which have been totally false, but have still greatly impeded her ability to be a Governor. She said herself that there have been 15 ethics complaints against her since the announcement of her candidacy for Vice President, all of which have been dropped because they lacked any merit. Yet she and her staff have had to spend vast quantities of time addressing these false charges, not to mention a great deal of money that she had to spend on them. So, resigning now really is the best thing for the State of Alaska, because, even though she has been an excellent and effective Governor, all of these partisan attacks from the Democrats have mired the Governors office, and by stepping aside she can allow the business of the State to get underway once again. And besides, she is handing the job off to her Lt. Governor, who has worked side by side with her so far, and is totally on board with what she has been doing and trying to get done.

Furthermore, we have to consider the fact that Alaska is a long way from the rest of the Country. Now don't get me wrong, it's a wonderful State, I've been there once, and I've studied the State some, and I love Alaska, and would dearly love to go back there someday. Alaska is also a very important State for many reasons, and I don't wish to downplay or degrade the wonderful State in any way, or in any measure, but the fact remains that it is physically far away from the lower 48 (as we are all called up there). Besides being physically far way, Alaska and Alaska politics are far away from the minds of many of the American people. If Sarah Palin wants to have any chance of being elected President in 2012, she has to be on the minds of the people in the lower 48 States, and she can't do this effectively from the office of the Governor of the State of Alaska, and if she tried to, it wouldn't be right or fair to the people of the great State of Alaska, because they deserve more than a part time Governor, and Governor Palin understands this.

Sarah Palin stated that she intends to campaign for and support likeminded politicians anywhere that she finds them, and that that, to me anyway, implies that she intends to be making the rounds in our Nation, speaking at rallies, and being on the campaign trail for others. This would also be an important step if she does indeed intend to run for President. Not only would doing this keep her forefront in the minds of the American people, it would also build her a big network, and a lot of support, and a very solid base from which to launch a Presidential bid, if that is in fact her intention.

So, while I struggled with this announcement when it first came out, and while it really gave me pause, upon reflection, I have to say, it looks like it may be a very good thing. It would appear that far from declaring her Political career to be over, Sarah Palin may have just kicked it into high gear. What's certain is that this announcement doesn't put her out of the running in any measure, it's what she does over the next year or so that will tell the tale, and I for one am looking on with great anticipation.

Sarah Palin's Speech

Gov. Sarah Palin:

Hi Alaska, I appreciate speaking directly TO you, the people I serve, as your Governor.

People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing's more important to me than our beloved Alaska. Serving her people is the greatest honor I could imagine.

I want Alaskans to grasp what can be in store for our state. We were purchased as a territory because a member of President Abe Lincoln's cabinet, William Seward, providentially saw in this great land, vast riches, beauty, strategic placement on the globe, and opportunity. He boldly looked "North to the Future". But he endured such ridicule and mocking for his vision for Alaska, remember the adversaries scoffed, calling this "Seward's Folly". Seward withstood such disdain as he chose the uncomfortable, unconventional, but RIGHT path to secure Alaska, so Alaska could help secure the United States.

Alaska’s mission – to contribute to America. We’re strategic IN the world as the air crossroads OF the world, as a gatekeeper of the continent. Bold visionaries knew this - Alaska would be part of America's great destiny.

Our destiny to be reached by responsibly developing our natural resources. This land, blessed with clean air, water, wildlife, minerals, AND oil and gas. It's energy! God gave us energy.

So to serve the state is a humbling responsibility, because I know in my soul that Alaska is of such import, for America’s security, in our very volatile world. And you know me by now, I promised even four years ago to show MY independence… no more conventional “politics as usual”.

And we are doing well! My administration's accomplishments speak for themselves. We work tirelessly for Alaskans.

We aggressively and responsibly develop our resources because they were created to be used to better our world... to HELP people... and we protect the environment and Alaskans (the resource owners) foremost with our policies.

Here’s some of the things we’ve done:

We created a petroleum integrity office to oversee safe development. We held the line FOR Alaskans on Point Thomson – and finally for the first time in decades – they’re drilling for oil and gas.

We have AGIA, the gasline project – a massive bi-partisan victory (the vote was 58 to 1!) – also succeeding as intended - protecting Alaskans as our clean natural gas will flow to energize us, and America, through a competitive, pro-private sector project. This is the largest private sector energy project, ever. THIS is energy independence.

And ACES – another bipartisan effort – is working as intended and industry is publicly acknowledging its success. Our new oil and gas “clear and equitable formula” is so Alaskans will no longer be taken advantage of. ACES incentivizes NEW exploration and development and JOBS that were previously not going to happen with a monopolized North Slope oil basin.

We cleaned up previously accepted unethical actions; we ushered in bi-partisan Ethics Reform.

We also slowed the rate of government growth, we worked with the Legislature to save billions of dollars for the future, and I made no lobbyist friends with my hundreds of millions of dollars in budget vetoes... but living beyond our means today is irresponsible for tomorrow.

We took government out of the dairy business and put it back into private-sector hands – where it should be.

We provided unprecedented support for education initiatives, and with the right leadership, finally filled long-vacant public safety positions. We built a sub-Cabinet on Climate Change and took heat from Outside special interests for our biologically-sound wildlife management for abundance.

We broke ground on the new prison.

And we made common sense conservative choices to eliminate personal luxuries like the jet, the chef, the junkets... the entourage.

And the Lt. Governor and I said "no" to our pay raises. So much success in this first term – and with this success I am proud to take credit... for hiring the right people! Our goal was to achieve a gasline project, more fair oil and gas valuation, and ethics reform in four years. We did it in two. It’s because of the people… good public servants surrounding the Governor's office, with servants' hearts and astounding work ethic... THEY are Alaska's success!

We are doing well! I wish you'd hear MORE from the media of your state's progress and how we tackle Outside interests - daily - SPECIAL interests that would stymie our state. Even those debt-ridden stimulus dollars that would force the heavy hand of federal government into our communities with an “all-knowing attitude” – I have taken the slings and arrows with that unpopular move to veto because I know being right is better than being popular. Some of those dollars would harm Alaska and harm America – I resisted those dollars because of the obscene national debt we’re forcing our children to pay, because of today’s Big Government spending; it’s immoral and doesn’t even make economic sense!

Another accomplishment – our Law Department protected states’ rights – TWO huge U.S. Supreme Court reversals came down against that liberal Ninth Circuit, deciding in OUR state’s favor over the last two weeks. We’re protectors of our Constitution – federalists protect states’ rights as mandated in 10th amendment.

But you don’t hear much of the good stuff in the press anymore, do you?

Some say things changed for me on August 29th last year – the day John McCain tapped me to be his running-mate – I say others changed.

Let me speak to that for a minute.

Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations – such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters’ questions.

Every one – all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We’ve won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to “opposition research” – that’s money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers – or safer roads. And this political absurdity, the “politics of personal destruction” … Todd and I are looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills in order to set the record straight. And what about the people who offer up these silly accusations? It doesn’t cost them a dime so they’re not going to stop draining public resources – spending other peoples’ money in their game.

It’s pretty insane – my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with THIS instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more “politics as usual,” but THIS isn’t what anyone had in mind for ALASKA.

If I have learned one thing: LIFE is about choices!

And one chooses how to react to circumstances. You can choose to engage in things that tear down, or build up. I choose to work very hard on a path for fruitfulness and productivity. I choose NOT to tear down and waste precious time; but to build UP this state and our country, and her industrious, generous, patriotic, free people!

Life is too short to compromise time and resources... it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: "Sit down and shut up", but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out. And a problem in our country today is apathy. It would be apathetic to just hunker down and “go with the flow”.

Nah, only dead fish "go with the flow".

No. Productive, fulfilled people determine where to put their efforts, choosing to wisely utilize precious time... to BUILD UP.

And there is such a need to BUILD up and FIGHT for our state and our country. I choose to FIGHT for it! And I'll work hard for others who still believe in free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and LIFE... I'll work for and campaign for those PROUD to be American, and those who are INSPIRED by our ideals and won't deride them.

I WILL support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the RIGHT reasons, and I don't care what party they're in or no party at all. Inside Alaska – or Outside Alaska.

But I won’t do it from the Governor’s desk.

I've never believed that I, nor anyone else, needs a title to do this - to make a difference... to HELP people. So I choose, for my State and my family, more "freedom" to progress, all the way around... so that Alaska may progress... I will not seek re-election as Governor.

And so as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn’t run for re-election and what it means for Alaska, I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks… travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade – as so many politicians do. And then I thought – that’s what’s wrong – many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and “milk it”. I’m not putting Alaska through that – I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That’s not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old “politics as usual.” I promised that four years ago – and I meant it.

It’s not what is best for Alaska.

I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is unconventional and not so comfortable.

With this announcement that I am not seeking re-election… I’ve determined it’s best to transfer the authority of governor to Lieutenant Governor Parnell; and I am willing to do so, so that this administration – with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future – can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success.

My choice is to take a stand and effect change – not hit our heads against the wall and watch valuable state time and money, millions of your dollars, go down the drain in this new environment. Rather, we know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time, on another scale, and actually make a difference for our priorities – and so we will, for Alaskans and for Americans.

Let me go back to a comfortable analogy for me – sports… basketball. I use it because you’re naïve if you don’t see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket… and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can WIN. And I’m doing that – keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities – smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it’s time to pass the ball – for victory.

I have given my reasons candidly and truthfully… and my last day won’t be for another few weeks so the transition will be very smooth. In fact, we will look to swear Sean in – in Fairbanks at the conclusion of our Governor’s picnics.

I do not want to disappoint anyone with my decision; all I can ask is that you TRUST me with this decision – but it’s no more “politics as usual”.

Some Alaskans don’t mind wasting public dollars and state time. I do. I cannot stand here as your Governor and allow millions upon millions of our dollars go to waste just so I can hold the title of Governor. And my children won’t allow it either. ? Some will question the timing. ? Let’s just say, this decision has been in the works for awhile…

In fact, this decision comes after much consideration, and finally polling the most important people in my life - my children (where the count was unanimous... well, in response to asking: "Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children's future from OUTSIDE the Governor's office?" It was four "yes's" and one "hell yeah!" The "hell yeah" sealed it - and someday I'll talk about the details of that... I think much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults recently.) Um, by the way, sure wish folks could ever, ever understand that we ALL could learn so much from someone like Trig - I know he needs me, but I need him even more... what a child can offer to set priorities RIGHT – that time is precious... the world needs more "Trigs", not fewer.

My decision was also fortified during this most recent trip to Kosovo and Landstuhl, to visit our wounded soldiers overseas, those who sacrifice themselves in war for OUR freedom and security… we can ALL learn from our selfless Troops… they’re bold, they don’t give up, they take a stand and know that LIFE is short so they choose to NOT waste time. They choose to be productive and to serve something greater than SELF... and to build up their families, their states, our country. These Troops and their important missions – those are truly the worthy causes in this world and should be the public priority with time and resources and NOT this local / superficial wasteful political bloodsport.

May we ALL learn from them!

*((Gotta put First Things First))*

First things first: as Governor, I love my job and I love Alaska. It hurts to make this choice but I am doing what’s best for Alaska. I’ve explained why… though I think of the saying on my parents’ refrigerator that says “Don’t explain: your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe you anyway.”

But I have given my reasons… no more “politics as usual” and I am taking my fight for what’s right – for Alaska – in a new direction.

Now, despite this, I don’t want any Alaskan dissuaded from entering politics after seeing this REAL “climate change” that began in August… no, we NEED hardworking, average Americans fighting for what’s right! And I will support you because we need YOU and YOU can effect change, and I can too on the outside.

We need those who will respect our Constitution where government’s supposed to serve from the BOTTOM UP, not move toward this TOP DOWN big government take-over… but rather, will be protectors of individual rights - who also have enough common sense to acknowledge when conditions have drastically changed and are willing to call an audible and pass the ball when it’s time so the team can win! And that is what I’m doing!

Remember Alaska… America is now, more than ever, looking North to the Future. It'll be good. So God bless you, and from me and my family - to ALL Alaska - you have my heart.

And we will be in the capable hands of our Lieutenant Governor, Sean Parnell. And Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will assume the role of Lieutenant Governor. And it is my promise to you that I will always be standing by, ready to assist. We have a good, positive agenda for Alaska.

In the words of General MacArthur said, “We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”

Independence Day Post

Last year on Independence Day I posted the Declaration of Independence, and I thought about doing it again, because too many people haven't read it, but for this year, if you want to see it, you can go back and look under July 4 of last year. For this year though, I thought it might be important to discuss something that is going on in our world today.

You may have seen on the news that the military of Honduras has removed the President from power, and you may have seen that President Obama has condemned this action, and called it illegal, but it is highly doubtful that you have seen all the facts.

Under the Constitution of Honduras, much like our own in this respect, a President is allowed to serve only two terms. The President of Honduras tried to illegally alter the Constitution through the backdoor, to allow him to run for a third term. It was the Supreme Court of Honduras that decided that the President was engaged in illegal activity and ordered his removal, which the military carried out, and the Congress of Honduras who appointed a temporary replacement. Hardly a "Military Coup" as it has been called by the liberal press in the US.

Why is it that President Obama, who looks at the horrors being perpetrated on the citizens of Iran by the Islamo-Nazi regime there, and can only muster such inane nonsense as, gee, that's terrible, but we can't interfere, doesn't have any issue coming out with a full throated condemnation of the legal and legitimate actions of the Government of Honduras? When tens of thousands of people took to the streets in Iran, because the election there had been stolen from them, Obama and most of the people in the media all but ignored it, yet now, when a President is ousted for violating the laws of his nation, and attempting to set himself up as a dictator, Obama comes out strongly in his defense, and the mainstream media in the US searches out the 1,000 protesters who support the would-be dictator, who are being allowed to protest and state their opinions, as long as they stay peaceful.

Why is it that in both cases our President decided that he had to take the side of the Tyrant?

Is it too extreme to think that he has plans to hold on to power in the US at all costs? That he has no intention of stepping down after 4 years if defeated, or 8 years if re-elected? I don't know, in some ways that seems a little nuts, but at the same time, in two cases, this year alone, he has come down on the side of two people who were doing exactly the same thing.

Unfortunately, our system was set up in such a way that allowed people to just not care what was going on, and it has allowed Statists in our Government to do pretty much anything they wanted, but the time for that is over, unless you want to watch soft Tyranny that has been developing over the last 80 years, and ramping up big time here recently, turn into a real hard tyranny, it is time to become active and defeat the statists before it's too late.

Why Mark Sanford Should Resign

Some Democrats are claiming that Mark Sanford should resign because he is a Republican who has always talked about family values, and then failed to live up to them. Some Republicans are making the rather bizarre argument that he should stay in his job because having an affair isn't related to his ability to Govern his State. Both of these groups are off the mark.

First of all, just because he claimed to hold to certain values, and then it turns out he's a lying, cheating piece of crap, doesn't reflect on the values he claimed to hold. If a father teaches his children not to steal, and then it turns out that he has stolen millions of dollars from his company, does that mean that he was wrong when he told his children that stealing was bad? Are we required to say that stealing is OK because he didn't live up to the standard that he preached to his children? Hardly. By the same token, what Sanford claimed to think about cheating and the sanctity of marriage has nothing to do with this, even if he had never said a single word about family values, but still cheated on his wife, he would be a lying, cheating piece of crap, just as he is now.

On the other hand, the office of Governor is a position of trust. Being a husband is also a position of trust. When a man is married he takes a sacred oath before God and man, that he will love, honor, and cherish his wife for the rest of his life. The marriage vow, deeply personal, and yet highly public, is not to be taken lightly. The oath that a man swears to be faithful to his wife should be fundamental to him, shaping all aspects of his life. He must be willing to deny his own selfish desires any time they may violate the vow that he has made. In many regards, the office of Governor is no different. A man (or woman, but I'm talking about a specific man here) takes an oath to do what is right and good for the people of his State, laying aside his own selfish desires, and vows to always stand up and fight for the people of his State. How can the people of South Carolina possibly trust Mark Sanford to uphold his oath to them if he couldn't be bothered upholding his oath to his own wife? Quite frankly, they can't.

It is also time for Sanford to put his own career aside for another reason. He should step aside for the good of the GOP. Unless it is his intention to hand victory to the Democrats in the next Gubernatorial election, he needs to allow the South Carolina GOP to some breathing room to try to pick up the pieces and actually have a shot at staying in power, which will be almost impossible if he remains in office.

Let's remember that being a Governor is not like being an actor. Actors can do good work even if they are total schmucks who can't be trusted for anything at all, ever. Being an actor is not a position of trust. I'm not saying that I encourage actors to be unfaithful, just that they don't need to quit being an actor because of it. But anyone who is in a position of trust, be they a Governor, a Senator, a President, or anyone else in a position of trust, who can't even honor a sacred vow to be faithful to their spouse, should not remain in office.

The Stolen Election

Well, the Democrats have finally done it. They have finally managed to flat out steal and election. No, I'm not talking about Obama, as much as it pains me to say it, he actually won his, though 52.8% of the vote is hardly a landslide. Don't get me wrong, there was plenty of fraud involved in Obama's election, but it seems that it was not sufficient to account for his victory.

Anyway, I'm talking today about the Spiteful Troll, Al Franken, now officially Senator Franken from the once great State of Minnesota. Here we saw every kind of fraud and abuse imaginable. Of course we had voter registration fraud at the hands of ACORN and others, registering dead people and imaginary people, and whoever else they could think of. We saw voter fraud, with some of those fraudulent registrants showing up to vote. And when those two types of fraud proved not to be enough to put the failed comedian over the top, we got to see some straight up, in your face, election fraud, with several democrat districts reporting more votes than there are registered voters in those districts, and shockingly, all the extra votes were for the spiteful troll.

It is truly stunning how blatant the fraud was in particular election. Without even trying to hide it, some of the election officials would reject ballots cast for Senator Norm Coleman due to some claimed flaw, and then turn around and count ballots for the spiteful troll that possessed the exact same supposed flaw. This really does amount to an in your face, no holds barred, stolen election, right here in the United States Of America. It is truly stunning.

What's perhaps even more shocking about all of this is the fact that they have gotten away with it! Nobody has stepped up to stop it so far in the process, and now that Franken has been declared the winner, you can be certain that no one will. It has even been through the courts, and they have allowed this abuse to go on.

The bright side of all of this comes from the fact that they needed to resort to fraud in order to fix the election. We can at least have some faith that Elections in the US are not completely rigged, and your vote can still count, as long as it's not a close vote. Our only hope for the future is that we are able to educate and inform enough people, and get enough people out to vote the right way, that in the future when good Republicans win an election, they do so with a victory margin that is too large to be overcome by democrat fraud.