Although I am a firm believer in God; I understand that others don't believe. I respect their right to do so. I don't however, understand, accept or respect anyone who calls my belief in God or God Himself offensive. When Jesus was asked how to attain eternal life he said to adhere to the following two principles:  We must love God with all our hearts and minds and secondly we must love our neighbors as ourselves. Jesus taught that these two principles were the cornerstone to a Christian life. Therefore I ask rhetorically what in the world is offensive about these principles and a  God of love? How do these principles demean us or offend anyone. Please don't talk to me about those who claim to do horrible things in the name of God because that's a red herring. No one, who is mentally stable, does any act of violence or hatred in the name of God. True believers in God are not violent or hateful.

 Contrary to popular belief in the secular community the Founding Fathers didn't create the 1st amendment to protect the people from religion they created it to protect religion from the people. The Founding Fathers were rightly opposed to one religion for all (a national religion)  but they absolutely did not want the government restricting our right to freely practice our religion. Separation of church and state, which secualarists use to beat people of faith into submission, is not in the Constitution. The current interpretation of  separation of church and state is an attempt by secularists to shut God out of our lives.  The second half and often ignored part of the 1st amendment states that the government shall not prohibit the free exercise of religion ("shall not" in legal speak means absolutely never). Nevertheless the government through the use of "separation of church and state" does so every day.

The United States defines itself as an overwhelmingly Christian country yet we allow a very vocal minority to deny us our religious liberty. Such tyranny of the minority is, in many ways, more  destructive than tyranny of the majority in that it ignores the will of the people. Our Founding Fathers, who fled religious oppression, envisioned a town square teaming with religious expression of all denominations. They would never support or could possibly have envisioned the exclusion of religion we see today. 
If you don't believe in God you are entitled to your opinion but you are in the minority. Rather than demand the exclusion of God from the public lives of the hundreds of millions believers you need to mind your manners and respect the constitutional rights of others. The fact that an activist court has lead us down an unconsttutional path does not make your lack of manners and unreasonable demands correct or constitutional.

Even if we left the question of Jesus's divinity aside for a moment we should ask ourselves the following question: How would  following the 10 Commandments and the teachings of Jesus, as a historical not a religious figure, hurt us? After all Jesus's ministry was all about love (even for your enemies) and forgiveness. Don't you believe we'd have less violence, less incivility, less turmoil and all the rest of the maladies of our decaying society if only we permitted God back into the public life of this great nation? For heaven sake what would be so offensive about that?

I watched the health care debate between Doctors Siegel and Woolhandler with Megyn Kelly this morning on Fox's American Newsroom. It astonishes me that the supporters of government run health care never let the facts get in the way of their arguments. It's equally as disturbing however, that we opponents don't do a good enough job challenging their misstatements and faulty premises. Once again, the President did his best Wizard of Oz impersonation at his Townhall in New Hampshire. He is a master at saying one thing as he is doing the exact opposite. Even as all the facts (including his previous statements  and the wording of the House bill itself) indicate that he supports a single payer system  he tells us to ignore that "man" behind the curtain and listen instead to what he is saying now. Every time I hear someone in this Administration speak on health care I can't help but picture the scene in the Wizard of Oz where the the Professor is  frantically turning the wheel to get the Wizards image up on the wall as Toto pulls back the curtain to reveal the true Wizard  Where is Toto when we need him.
Dr. Siegel and Megyn Kelly (one of the best interviewers in the business) repeatedly pointed out provisions in the House bill that either directly or indirectly support the withholding of care from the elderly-our parents. Regardless of these facts Dr. Woolhandler couldn't be persuaded. Rather than read the bill she prefers to rely on what the President is saying now, which doesn't have any force in law, or what her experience has been with Medicare. May I remind the good doctor that Medicare is broke and will be gutted by this plan--the President himself has said so. Turning a blind eye is one thing but here all I can say is--we're off to see the Wizard the wonderful Wizard of Oz....

It seems that the more radical the changes the Administration and the Democrats propose the easier it is to fool the public. Most mainstream people just can't believe that anyone could propose a bill that does such things as ration health care, promote euthanasia, tell people they are too old or too young  for care and on and on. No wonder America is speaking out so forcefully against this bill. The Administration is frustrated because since the campaign we have to begun to do a little fact checking on the things the President says.We realize we made a mistake by not fact checking quite closely enough Rev. Wright, Bill Ayers, the President's Senate votes, his affiliation with Acorn and on and on. We've decided enough is enough--fool me once shame on you fool me twice shame on me.

If this bill was really about lowering costs and insuring the 5 million (real number) or so uninsured why wouldn't the President simply propose or support a bill that provides  coverage for them and increases competition by lifting the ban on purchasing out of state insurance and be done with it. The answer is simple. This is not about cost or the uninsured rather it is about expanding the role of government in our lives. The President knows he can't say this however, so once again he morphs into the Wizard and pretends that the bill is simply something that it's not. If we permit the government to take over our health care we deserve what we get. It's time to keep our eyes open and accept that yes this government is lying to us. A perfect example of that was Megyn Kelly's interview this morning with Obama Deputy Press Secretary Bill Burton . Megyn asked Mr. Burton if the Administration was going to destroy the e-mail addresses and names of those turned into the White House for raising questions about the health care plan. Mr. Burton did everything he could to avoid, decieve and stonewall Megyn. Most interviewers would have given up but not Megyn. With the skill of a trial attorney (she was one) she kept at it until the truth was revealed. Mr. Burton had to acknowledge that, under Federal law, the White House can't destroy the names and addresses. Moreover these names and addresses will become public in a matter of time. Proponents of the plan insist that opponents are extremist radical right wingers who take their marching orders from Fox News. This Administration's  lies and refusal to have an real debate on how to improve health care has made many good people angry and extreme in their rhetoric. By now we all know that this Administration doesn't care about the will of the people when it come to health care. If we continue to accept at face value the words of this Administration we will rue the day we elected this government. We can stop this travesty by continuing to stand up for our freedom and reminding the politicians that they work for us not the other way around.     

Principles and leadership, which are so lacking in our politicians, are the strong suit of Fr. John Corapi. I was raised a Roman Catholic post Vatican II. While many of the changes Vatican II brought about drew the laity closer to the Church; they did not, as Fr. Corapi points out, change the 10 Commandments into the 10 suggestions as many hoped they would.
In a world of apologists, political correctness, secularism and the like Fr. Corapi is a beacon of light. He believes, as Jesus taught, that the Truth shall set us free. In Fr. Corapi's eyes the Truth is someone not something. His name is Jesus Christ. Black and white are not colors to be scorned. Rather grey, which is the favorite color of the secularists, is the dullest color in the rainbow. In addition, Fr. Corapi's greatest gift, as he tells it, is that he doesn't give a rats you know what  what people think of what he says. The Truth can't be morphed into a lie with wishful thinking or "enlightened reasoning". The secular peogressives in our society are moving us ever closer to a world without God. They want man to be the ultimate arbiter of right and wrong. Without God however, the inalieable rights that are guaranteed to us in our Constitution (precisely because they came from God)  are left to the whims of man. Man, unchecked by the natural or supernatural law, would decide our fate.Terrifying!

I often hear liberal clergy, theologians, laity and non-Christians say that if Jesus is a God of love (He is) He would never judge or condemn anyone to eternal damnation. In arguing for this proposition these misguided individuals completely miss the point of Jesus' ministry and the very words He spoke as reported in the Gospels, the rest of  the New Testament and the Old Testament prophicies about the Messiah. Jesus spoke painly and clearly against sin and the punishment awaiting those who don't repent from a life of sin. Apparently Jesus didn't like the color grey either.In fact, as Fr. Corapi points out, Jesus was so clear on these matters that if He walked the earth today preaching His message He'd be sent to sensitivity training.  

Christianity never would have grown to be the largest religion in the world if Jesus said that Heaven awaits us all no matter what we accomplished on earth or what's in our hearts. Who would follow a Man who rewarded Hitler and Mother Theresa equally? Who would seek Heaven if it meant an eternity shoulder to shoulder with the worst unrepentant sinners imaginable? Not me and not most of us I dare say. Thankfully Jesus makes judgments and demands that we do so as well. The fear and confusion about making judgments is that we don't read what Jesus said about them. Jesus reserved the ultimate judgment about each of us for Himself. He never said however, that we weren't to condemn bad behavior. In fact, He said the opposite---love the sinner but hate the sin. To say otherwise is to be hypocrytical and intellectually dishonest.  We all make judgments everyday. Our justice system is a prime example but so are our choice of friends, the way we raise our children, the politicians we vote for and so on. These decisions are all based on our personal judgments of right and wrong.  It's OK, necessary and essential. Don't fear it embrace it.

I learned long ago that if you stand for your principles you will win over many individuals who are desperately seeking such leadership and validation. Never be afraid of your convictions if they are based on the Truth. Jesus and His followers have been marginalized in an effort to redefine the truth in subjective terms. Grey is their favorite color. Sadly many Christians and others of faith have permitted this travesty to succeed. Because we fail to believe in or stand up for God we have become a world devoid of any subjective truths. As a result, we stand for nothing and fall for everything. We are left with a  foundation built on sand not stone. We feel scared and anxious all the time making us prone to every politician who promises us something for nothing. We can longer see the difference between real freedom (self determination) and false freedom (the "right to destroy ourselves with drugs, alcohol, pornography and government dependence). The politicians know this and use our fears and anxieties to win votes and keep themselves in office. Many of them don't care a lick about the truth. Fr. Corapi is a great man with a compelling life story. He knows the Truth and is not afraid to stand up for Him. If only our politicians could follow suit.

P.S. Fr. Corapi can be seen on EWTN-Eternal Word Television Network. He can also be reached via his website at fathercorapi.com. Corapi   

I have been a fan of Bill O'Reilly for many years. Until now.I have always admired Bill's courage in speaking the truth regardless of who is to blame or who gets credit. There was a time when no spin meant no spin. In my opinion those days are over at least with regard to President Obama.  Given Bill's no spin reputation this is not only troubling but surprising. Here is my opinion and attempt at an explanation. Most people view and judge others as they view themselves. Most of us are honest, hard working people who value our personal freedom. Accordingly we tend to think that others are just like us. The more extreme a persons views the more we deny them because we just can't accept that someone could be so far out of the mainstream..This may explain Bill's reluctance to see President Obama and his agenda as motivated from a different place. For example Bill states that he believes the President is simply a mainstream liberal politician who values individual freedom, honesty, personal responsibility and the nobleness of our great country. In an attempt to explain away the extremeism of the President's beliefs Bill applies mainstream reason. For example Bill rightly asks why would Obama advocate such policies when he should know that they will result in his defeat in the next Presidential election. Great question except that the evidence indicates that this President is an eliteist who believes that he knows what's best (see health care) and once he gives it to us we will thankfully reelect him. Although the President has admitted that he wants to change America he doesn't believe that his policies are radical in the same way that most traditional Americans believe. However,  a careful review of his words, votes, policies and associations demonstrate that he is nothing short of a radical idealogue who seeks to reshape America in the mold of the social democracies of Europe.

In my opinion Bill is also misinterpreting what it means to be fair and balanced as an opinion journalist. While I admire his attempt to present both sides both sides don't necessarily merit equal standing.  For instance if we are debating the economic success of tax cuts versus government spending to "stimulate" economic growth it is disingeniious to permit each side to appear to have equal merit. As an opinion journalist, who knows the historical record of the success of tax cuts, Bill is obliged to inform his audience that the Kennedy, Reagan and Bush tax cuts resulted in an increase in revenue to the government while massive government spending has never resuted in economic growth. To do otherwise leaves his audience believing that  the truth is just a matter of political affiliation. That is flatly dishonest and violates Bill's assertion that he is looking out for us folks. There is nothing "fair and balanced" about not calling a lie a lie.  

It is very frustrating for a trial lawyer, like myself, to hear Bill repeatedly say that he is not going to judge Obama's motivation by the policies his administration advocates, by the words he has spoken as a State Senator, U.S. Senator, candidate and President (see desire for a single payer system), by the people he has chosen to be a part of his administration (some of whom are radical far left marxists), by his personal and political associations (see Bill Ayers, Rev. Wright and Acorn) and so on. Such circumstantial evidence is overpowereing proof of what the President believes and what type of future he seeks for America. This type of proof is accepted in courts everyday to establish the truth. Moreover, it's how each of us form our opinions about people and the world around us everyday. The sad reality of  Bill pretending that we can't piece together the motives of an individual from his or her conduct is that the truth becomes the victim of no spin. 
Power, arrogance, ideaology and eliteism is what drives this President. He acts as if he feels that he is a transcendent politician who knows better than everyone what is best for all and will stop at nothing to get us to take our medicine. He is arrogant enough to believe that once we take our medicine we will realize that he was right all along and in gratitude we will bow at his altar and thankfully reelect him.

I believe that Bill is an honest, fair minded individual who needs to reasses his position on President Obama so he truly is looking out for us folks. In the meanwhile I'll get my news from Beck.

P.S. Please forgive any typos in this or my earlier blog as my computer skills are somewhat lacking. Please have patience and focus on the content as I'll get better as we go along. Thank you.      

There is one simple reason for the passion behind the opposition to the proposed health care reform. The President and Democrats in Congress are lying to the american people and we don't like it. It's like when your child misbehaves and then lies about it--there is one punishment for the misbehavior and an additional punishment for lying. Americans don't like liars and we don'rt like to be lied to. Ask a used car salesman. Lying begets anger and passion in return.The very anger and passion we see at the Town Hall meetings about health care.

The President and Congress realize that their legislation wouldn't have a snowballs cance in you know where is they were honest with the american people. Instead they are trying the Wizard of Oz approach--pay no attention to the man behind the curtain. If Obama and the Democrats said, as the President and Barney frank have in the past, that they want a single payer government run health care system they realize that their legislation would go down in flames. As a result they are attempting to lie right to our faces and demonize those of us who see through the lies. They compound their lies and further raise our ire by pretending to want an "honest debate" about health care at the Town Hall meetings. Anger and frustration is a perfectly sane response to anyone who lies right to your face. We wouldn't accept such behavior from our children, spouses or friends so should we accept it as part of the political process? We shouldn't!! Enough is enough.

Unfortunately we are all to blame for getting us into a position where Obama might actually succeed in his desire to take over our health care system. For far too long Republicans have played the game of politics on our side of the 50 yard line. We have constantly allowed ourselves to be put on the defensive and have completely ignored our offense. Anyone who follows football knows that eventually your defense wears down and the opponent runs righrt over you. Democrats are great at creating false issues taht need government solutions like health care. Instead of flatly rejecting these false issues and the arguments that allegedly support them the Republicans seem to always try to come up with a watered down government solution to the "problem" For example a care ful study of our health care system reveals that it is the best system in the world and certainly not in crisis. There are not 50 million uninsured nor the miriad of other problems attached to the system by Democrats. Rather ours is the finest health care system in the world. The Republicans should have said so and then gone about to increase competition to lower costs and provide potability of coverage and coverage for pre-existing conditions. Problems solved! Issue off the table!

Sadly not standing up for our free market principles and individual libery at the start of the debate has brought us to the brink of disaster. If we had gone on offense in the beginning we wouldn't be defending our goal line today.Michael Steel's job is simplier tan it appears. The Republicans need to reassert  their long held principles our smaller government, individual liberty, states rights etc... and demonstrate how these beliefs are as relevant today as they were 200 years ago. They need to further demonstrate how such principles apply to everyone and stop changing or watering down our beliefs in an attempt to widen our tent. Such phoneyness only turns off  the American electorate. Voters are looking for heros. We want to be led by people who say what they mean and mean what they say. Eventually people take notice of such leadership and want to climb aboard.

My final word of advice for anyone aggrieved by our big government system is to turn to the courts. Most of the legislation coming out of Washington these days violates the 10th Amendment. We need to challenge it while the courts are still in our favor. We need to return rights to the states and the individual that were explicitly protected for them in the constitution.

One final personal note. My beloved dog, Gage, died yesterday. He was a beautiful 15 and one half year old English Pointer. I loved him and will miss him terribly.