Stimulus "A Smooth Ride"

Dissenters of Despotism

. . . the main pillars of the Constitution; which we have shown to be inconsistent with the liberty and happiness of the people, as its establishment will annihilate the state governments, and produce one consolidated government that will eventually and speedily issue in the supremacy of despotism. SOURCE...

As the truth of this position is of such decisive importance, it ought to be fully investigated, and if it is founded to be clearly ascertained; for, should demonstrated, that the powers vested by this constitution in Congress, will have such an effect, as necessarily to produce one consolidated government, the question then will be reduced to this short issue, viz. whether satiated with the blessings of liberty; whether repenting of the folly of so recently asserting their unalienable rights, against foreign despots, at the expence of so much blood and treasure, and such painful and arduous struggles, the people of America are now willing to resign every privilege of freemen, and submit to the domination of an absolute government, that will embrace all America in one chain of despotism; or whether they will with virtuous indignation, spurn at the shackles prepared for them, and confirm their liberties by a conduct becoming freemen.

We dissent, secondly, because the powers vested in Congress by this constitution, must necessarily annihilate and absorb the legislative, executive, and judicial powers of the several states, and produce from their ruins one consolidated government, which from the nature of things will be an iron handed despotism, as nothing short of the supremacy of despotic sway could connect and govern these United States under one government. LINK...

JOIN, OR DIE - John Adams (HBO Movie Miniseries) (Blu-Ray)
Set against the backdrop of a nations stormy birth, this sweeping miniseries is a moving love story, a gripping narrative, and a fascinating study of human nature. Above all, at a time when the nation is increasingly polarized politically, this story celebrates the shared values of liberty and freedom upon which this country was built.

America Revolutionary War Movies
French and Indian War | Colonial America Movies

America During the Age of Revolution - Timeline

All Socialists Now?

We Are All Socialists Now - Newsweek

In many ways our economy already resembles a European one. As boomers age and spending grows, we will become even more French.

Whether we like it or not—or even whether many people have thought much about it or not—the numbers clearly suggest that we are headed in a more European direction.

If we fail to acknowledge the reality of the growing role of government in the economy, insisting instead on fighting 21st-century wars with 20th-century terms and tactics, then we are doomed to a fractious and unedifying debate. The sooner we understand where we truly stand, the sooner we can think more clearly about how to use government in today's world. SOURCE...

Stimulus Bill Could Kill You?

When you read through the nearly seven hundred pages of the House stimulus bill it is easy to begin dozing off after a few hundred billion dollars worth of run-of-the-mill wasteful government spending. One has to keep a keen eye out for the components of the bill that don't just steal your money, but that may actually do you great physical harm, if not kill you outright.

On page 151 of this legislative pork-fest is one of the clandestine nuggets of social policy manipulation that are peppered throughout the bill. Section 9201 of the stimulus package establishes the "Federal Coordinating Council for Comparative Effectiveness Research." This body, which would be made up of federal bureaucrats will "coordinate the conduct or support of comparative effectiveness and related health services research."

Sounds benign enough, but the man behind the Coordinating Council, Health and Human Services Secretary-designate (and tax cheat) Tom Daschle, was kind enough to explain the goal of this organization. It is to cut health care costs by preventing Americans from getting treatments that the government decides don't meet their standards for cost effectiveness. In his 2008 book on health care, he explained that such a council would, "lower overall spending by determining which medicines, treatments and procedures are most effective-and identifying those that do not justify their high price tags."

Once a panel of government experts decides what is and what is not cost-effective by their definition, the government will stop paying for treatments, medicines, therapies or devices that fall into the latter category. Initially, this will limit access to very expensive treatments for federal employees, veterans, the elderly, members of the military and their dependents and others who rely on the feds to pay for their health care. SOURCE...

See also: Stimulus Paves Way for Government-Rationed Health Care!

Change - American Manhood

~ men's goals have become cloudy and obscure
a richly nuanced picture of the varied ways that men are reassessing their commitments to work and family life.
Changes in American Manhood
If men are no longer primary breadwinners, what is the basis of their claim to masculinity? What happens in their relationships with women and children? Kathleen Gerson examines the no man’s land that men increasingly find themselves in as women increasingly enter the work force and challenge traditional ideas of masculinity.

Although men still enjoy the lion's share of well-paying prestigious jobs, changes in the economy and labor force have changed their economic situations for the worse.

Men's work force participation has dropped to 80% while women's has risen to 60%.

The Fair Pay Act

Research published by the Council of Economic Advisors has estimated that between one quarter and one third of the wage gap (between men and women) cannot be explained by legitimate factors such as education or experience. Although some progress in closing the wage gap has been made in recent years, much of this has been due to the decline in men's wages rather than an increase in women's wages.

See also: Out - Male Masculinity

Questions and Answers on the Fair Pay Act
Smart Library on Children and Families