Many people remember Ron Paul’s powerful 2011 House Floor speech, “What If?” In less than four minutes, Rep. Paul completely obliterated the entire neocon foreign policy of interventionism. He turned their claims around on them, he used their lies against them. It was a tremendous, memorable speech. But thanks to a very talented YouTube videographer, that amazing speech got even better. See for yourself:
My Administration is committed to creating an unprecedented level of openness in Government. We will work together to ensure the public trust and establish a system of transparency, public participation, and collaboration. Openness will strengthen our democracy and promote efficiency and effectiveness in Government.
What happened?
“We were hopeful when Obama came into office that some of what we had seen in the Bush years would be reversed,” said Gary Daniels of the ACLU. “Instead, not only has it continued but it has EXPANDED.”
Guardian Journalist, Glenn Greenwald, and whistle blower, Edward Snowden, recently revealed that Obama has, for years, been in charge of a ‘Big Brother’ surveillance state that would make Richard Nixon blush with envy. The FBI, the NSA, DHS, CIA, plus Federal, military and “privately contracted” agencies, more than you can count using every finger on both hands, has a database of all your iMessages, your photos, your videos, your e-mails, your music playlist, your web search history, your documents and connection logs and your cell phone text messages.
Since Sept. 11, 2001, the top-secret world created to respond to the terrorist attacks has grown into an unwieldy enterprise spread over 10,000 U.S. locations
They have put your phone calls into their data base, including recordings of the contents and the ping triangulations — which can enable analysts to track your every movement of every day, even inside your home, if you are carrying your phone. Obama’s spy network has photocopied the front of every one of your snail mail envelopes. There’s evidence the federal government has collected information on your financial and credit card transactions in addition to your health records.
Obama’s spy agencies don’t just snoop on citizens.
Federal agencies used security badge access records to track the chief Washington correspondent for Fox News’, James Rosen’s, comings and goings from the State Department (court affidavit here). They traced the timing of his calls with a State Department security adviser suspected of sharing the classified report. They obtained a search warrant for Rosen’s personal e-mails.
Associated Press executives and First Amendment watchdogs ALSO have criticized the Justice Department for the broad scope of phone records it secretly subpoenaed from more than 20 phone lines of AP offices in Washington, Hartford, Conn., and New York.
Given the First Amendment’s protection of press freedom, is it ever legal for government to spy on, persecute or prosecute reporters doing their jobs? Just conducting an investigation is intimidating. According to Associated Press CEO Gary Pruit, “the message the government is now sending is — if you talk to the press we are going to go after you.”
To extend his executive power and oversight even further, Barack Obama has ordered federal employees to spy on their colleagues.
“See something, say something” appallingly has overreached into every nook and cranny of our personal lives.
But, if it keeps Americans safe what is the problem? Its not like any of us regular people are troublemakers who might, for example, do something rabble-rousing like doubt the “settled science of climate change” out-loud.
Why should we be concerned about surveillance if we have nothing to hide?
Here’s why…
Privacy isn’t simply the option to hide bad things. Privacy enables us to freely pursue the things that we enjoy, on our own terms. Privacy is your right to control the flow of information about yourself. You choose what details to share, when, where, and with whom. You may not be a terrorist, but there are details in everyone’s personal lives that they want to keep private. Privacy should be important to all who value freedom and the security of a comfortable voluntary lifestyle. It would be awkward to have your mother read through your every email and monitor your phone calls — forever. Let alone some stranger from the government.
Who hasn’t used the Internet to learn about and discuss political ideology? Which is something that the government is more likely to take a serious interest in than your embarrassing late night texts to your ex-boyfriend.
Should you trust government with the power to listen to private conversations—some undoubtedly concerning politics — whenever they want?
The answer should always be: no. Some Democrats are willing to defend the NSA-Verizon scandal because Barack Obama is in the Oval Office, just as some Republicans were willing to downplay wiretapping under George W. Bush.
That’s partisan political games.
The protection of civilian privacy is an issue far more important than red versus blue. No one should give any president, any power that they wouldn’t trust with their WORST enemy. A Democrat is POTUS today, but a future presidents could be Republican, Libertarian, from the Green Party or whatever. Parties have come and gone. So far, the Constitution has stood.
“The right of the people to be secure in their persons, papers and effects, against unreasonable searches and seizures, shall not be violated, and no Warrants shall issue, but upon probable cause, supported by Oath or affirmation, and particularly describing the place to be searched, and the persons or things to be seized.” ~4th Amendment
Our fourth amendment has been 100% compromised. As well as our first. Most of us did NOT consent. It was kept secret. When confronted by Senator Mark Udall (D-CO) and Senators Ron Wyden (D-OR), the Obama administration LIED. They denied what was going on.
Any individual courageous enough to inform the public about secret abuses of our rights risked being prosecuted at unprecedented levels under the Obama administration. Even the Nixon administration was wussy in comparison. Fear of repercussions and intimidation enabled America’s “top secret world” to become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work.
“Watch your back.”
Allowing it to go on and stand unchallenged does far more damage to the republic than any law breaking. It sets new boundaries and rules for our government. It confirms what Richard Nixon argued for: “When the president does it, that means it is not illegal.”
The sheer breadth of America’s behemoth “top secret world” confirms the inadequacy of secret courts. Courts exist to enforce our rights in the face of government abuses. That’s one of the central geniuses of the founding fathers and the system of checks and balances they constructed.
When the decisions are secret, they stop being judicial in character. Law is built on mutual references among courts. When the law can’t reference itself, it stops being law, and emerges as something very different: in this case, a rubber stamp allowing any manner of dragnet violations impacting law-abiding Americans and our fundamental rights.
MUST READ: Top Secret America: a Hidden World, Growing Beyond Control. I can’t recommend this Washington Post article enough. It’s about the scope and size of America’s domestic spying and is shocking. CLICK HERE TO READ ARTICLE — YOU NEED TO KNOW THIS
Labor of Love, which included businesses from St. Joseph and Elkhart counties, as well as “We the People” 912 and the Michiana Tea Party Coalition distributed 80 bins and were among the first contributors to the new pantry.
More and more Elkhart County families are struggling on a daily basis to keep a roof over their heads and food on the table. It isn’t just the unemployed either. Parents are working multiple jobs and skipping meals just so they can make sure their children are fed. They have tough decisions to make every day: whether to fill up the car or put food on the table; whether to pay the utilities or put food on the table; whether to pay the rent or put food on the table. All it takes is one illness, one dead car battery or one rent hike and they can no longer take care of their family without help.
For those without family or friends nearby, Church Community Services provides hope , in the form of food and education and finanacial assistance to families going through hard times in Elkhart County. When families are living in poverty, they have to do without a lot of things – food should not be one of them.
Tuesday, September 4th, 2012 was a huge day for Church Community Services.
It was the grand opening of Church Community Services’ long awaited renovated food pantry and warehouse. Church Community Services has been working towards making this transition for 4 years. The new building will give them the resources, space, and opportunity to better serve needs in our growing community. It will allow them to store and distribute more food. It will be cleaner and more welcoming, and will give space to be more volunteer- and client- friendly. They will also be able to put more focus on education, such as providing handy recipes and nutritional facts.
The new pantry is 1,225 sq. ft. compared to the former 494 sq. ft. The new warehouse is 2,910 sq. ft. compared to the current 1,680 sq. ft. There is also a 864 sq. ft. welcome center complete with a children’s area, and a prayer room for anyone who feels a need to pray. Lots of love and labor was put into this project, and IT SHOWS!
This nutrician video, full of advice on meal planning, preparation and nutrition runs 24/7 in the waiting room.
Amazing things happen when we are given the privilege of being the channels of the Holy Spirit’s prayer. Church Community Service’s new pantry facility includes a chapel to assist client’s needs.
Here is part of the children’s play area where volunteers watch the children while their parents shop at the pantry.
The ‘Seed to Feed’ vegetables look so good! Fresh garden vegetables are ALWAYS so appreciated.
Mary Kneller, Food Director for Church Community Services, generously used up some of her very valuable time to show me the new facilities. It was a real pleasure.
If the truth is what sets us free, what does it mean to live in a society where truth is absent?
The danger to America is not a single politician with ill intent. Or even a group of them. The most dangerous thing any nation faces is a citizenry capable of trusting a liar to lead them.
“Almost all current events in the affairs of governments and nations have their parallels and precedents in the past,” American President Harry Truman wrote, “without an understanding of history, we are doomed to repeat our collective past.” Has any leader’s lies from the past dramatically shaped people’s destiny?
The Nazi’s, who comprised less than 10% of the German population, compelled millions of people to head for gas chambers in a docile manner. 10 MILLION PEOPLE! How did they do THAT? The Nazis were overwhelmingly outnumbered. They could easily have been overpowered. Why didn’t people resist?
The answer is breathtakingly simple. It is a method still being used by some elected leaders to achieve various goals today.
THEYLIED.
Adolf Eichmann, known as “The Master”, set about implementing the “Final Solution” as if he were the president of a multinational corporation. His intricate stories, were designed to ensure the cooperation of the condemned (but unknowing) Jews. Accompanied by an entourage of no more than thirty local men — mostly unarmed -Eichmann would address the crowd in a strong, clear voice.
This is what he said:
“Jews: At last, it can be reported to you that the Russians are advancing on our eastern front. I apologize for the hasty way we brought you into our protection. Unfortunately, there was little time to explain. You have nothing to worry about. We want only the best for you. You will leave here shortly and be sent to very fine places indeed. You will work there, your wives will stay at home, and your children will go to school. You will have wonderful lives. We will all be terrible crowded on the trains, but the journey is short. Men? Please keep your families together and board the railcars in an orderly manner. Quickly now, my friends, we must hurry!”
The Jewish husbands and fathers were relieved by the explanation and comforted by the fact that there weren’t more armed soldiers. Fear of “heinous Russian Communists” had been pounded over the media to the masses for months. Relieved that the authorities were looking out for their best interests, grown, strong men, who could have resisted, instead trustingly helped their families into the rail cars. The containers, designed to transport eight cows, were each packed with a minimum of one hundred human beings and quickly padlocked.
At that moment, they were lost.
“If a nation expects to be ignorant and free,” said Thomas Jefferson, “. . . . The people cannot be safe without information. Where the press is free, and every man able to read, all is safe.”
History shows that any people who are sheep-like in following their leadership (so long as their personal self-interests are satisfied) may one day awaken to find that their nation has changed in dramatic ways.
-Do YOU think lying to get elected is acceptable? Especially when you believe the candidate’s intention is to get elected to do GOOD WORKS?
-Who are the “good guys” and who are the “bad guys”?
-Would truth be a starting point for telling the difference?
-What is our nation’s course? Do you believe that one can determine a probable destination by examining the direction in which we are traveling? Where are we headed?
The only way to know a person who aspires to lead us is to listen to what he says and watch what he does. Frankly, what I think of any current or past leader of the United States is irrelevant. The questions most important to YOU in regard to this subject should be: What criteria do YOU use?
It doesn’t take MANY people to lead a nation in a direction that has serious repercussions on the liberty of OTHERS. Indeed, it has happened, here, in the United States. We have given up liberties for various reasons. WE MAY NEVER GET THEM BACK. And, things could turn even WORSE very rapidly.
Is SOMEONE lying to our country right now?
YOU get to answer that for yourself. My point is that each of us must STOP blindly believing everything someone with an agenda says.
TODAY WITH THE ADVENT OF THE INTERNET’S SEARCH ENGINES, it is simple to verify a politicians voting record, see videos of the politician on youtube to check out the politician’s consistency and whether or not he or she keeps his or her promises.
We MUST do our best to change our country’s direction and to put the best people possible in office. People who will DO what they believe is RIGHT and TRUE.
Knowing is not enough; we must apply. Being willing is not enough; we MUST DO. ~Leonardo DeVinci
Your life, the lives of your children and the lives of your grandchildren may depend upon you demanding THE TRUTH and NOTHING LESS.
The internet is awash with reports of government agencies stockpiling weapons and medical supplies in the face of looming domestic unrest — but is there any truth behind the rumors? Why do some people believe the U.S. is preparing for civil war?
The Stellar Wind program was considered so illegal by the Justice Department and FBI agents who knew about it, there was a belief that then-Attorney General John Ashcroft would be indicted for allowing the interception program to operate. Known also as the “Terrorist Surveillance Program,” the warrantless wiretapping was authorized by President George W. Bush in the wake of 9/11 and had to be recertified every 45 days. In March 2004, Deputy Attorney General James Comey, upon the determination of the Justice Department’s Office of Legal Counsel, decided that certification would not occur because the program was deemed illegal.
How many “Stellar Wind/Fusion Spy Centers” exist? Read, TOP SECRET AMERICA/A Washington Post Investigation. The report (which is shocking) determines that the “secret world” the government created has become so large, so unwieldy and so secretive that no one knows how much money it costs, how many people it employs, how many programs exist within it or exactly how many agencies do the same work.
About the “Indiana Intelligence Fusion Center”HERE.
The NSA Is Building the Country’s Biggest Spy Center (Watch What You Say)Article by WIRED HERE
Privacy Is Not Secrecy; Debunking The ‘If You’ve Got Nothing To Hide…’ Argument Article by TechDirt HERE
According to a 2-year-study from the Community Training and Resource Center implementing evidence-based programs in the Elkhart County Correctional Facility is helping inmates stay out of jail after they are released.
In a press conference Wednesday morning, Sheriff Brad Rogers said that programs in the jail such as the GED program and the “Thinking for a Change” program instead of simply warehousing the inmates, has reduced recidivism to 17 to 26 percent. For the population that did not go through the programs, the rates have stayed at 49 percent recidivism.
Deanne Anadon teaches a G.E.D. class at the Elkhart County Jail in Elkhart County on Wednesday. Anadon has taught G.E.D. classes for 15 years. (Truth Photo By Evey Wilson)
Rogers says inmates are often cynical when they start the court ordered program but not when they come out.
“What we find is that after they’ve completed the class, most of them are believers in that, ‘Yes, they can make a positive change in their life and a lot of it is just in their thought process.'”
Sheriff Rogers says 2,700 inmates went through the program from 2009 to 2011 and they are excited to get evidence that the programs are really working.
Does anyone actually believe it’s a good idea to use weaponized military vehicles for civilian “surveillance”? Is this really the direction in which we are headed?
Meanwhile…
It’s o.k., they’re the good guys.”
According to the Montgomery County Sheriff’s Office the $300,000 ShadowHawk drone, purchased from Vanguard Defense Industries, will take to the skies in the coming months to provide another tool in their law-enforcement arsenal.
Outside the Anaheim Police Department today.
Don’t worry…more “good guys”.
Aerial ‘Shadowhawk’ Police Drones can now deploy tasers & tear gas.
After reviewing this order, one is forced to wonder whether the actual function of this order is to assure continuity of communications during an actual emergency, or if this order is designed to expand the control of all communications by implementing measures that redefine crises and emergencies. In the context of the most recent orders implemented by the stroke of his pen, it would appear that Obama is more concerned with command and control than ensuring continuity of communications during times of actual national emergencies.
When viewed in the broader context of the NDAA, supported legislation such as SOPA, PIPA, and ACTA, and his infamous National Defense Resource Preparedness order of March 16, 2012, a discernible pattern of complete control and takeover of all aspects of our infrastructure is emerging.
In this context, it is becoming quite clear that Obama is obsessed with absolute control. Now he’ll have the ability to tell you about it on your cell phone, the internet, radio and television at his whim.
Richard Mourdock says Obama should NOT sign the Small Arms Treaty on July 27. He also thinks healthcare should be “patient-centered”, not “government-centered”.
The Indiana Republican Victory Center cut the Ribbon today to kick off the ‘Defeat Obama Campaign’. And, for any of you, who might be wondering where Richard Mourdock stands on Obamacare, the Small Arms Treaty and the Law of the Sea Treaty (L.O.S.T.), No Link News Service was on the scene and not afraid to ask…
Richard Mourdock, left, Jackie Walorski, front in striped shirt, and Mike Pence, third from left in back row, participated in Elkhart’s GOP Victory Center’s opening celebration.