THE RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN

ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE

Vol. 2 – No. 5 – July 2018

RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN PARTY EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE

Keith Flatness, Chairman Bitsy Gryder, Vice Chairman

Donna Taylor, Secretary Larry Pendergrass, Treasurer

Linda Pendergrass, Vice Treasurer Marv Keener, Chaplain

Gary Drinkard, Parliamentarian Jim Murphy, PAC Chair

JULY MEETING

The July meeting will be held on its regular day of the week, Thursday, July 5th, at 7:00 PM, at the Rhea County Sheriff’s Training Center, 711 Eagle Ln, Evensville, TN. We look forward to seeing you there!

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Socialism is the philosophy of failure, the creed of ignorance, and the gospel of envy. Its inherent virtue is the equal sharing of misery. – Winston Churchill

MINUTES FROM THE MAY MEETING

Chairman Keith Flatness called the May 3, 2018 meeting of the RCRP to order at 7:00 PM. Marvin Keener led us in prayer and Joe Gryder led the Pledge of Allegiance to our flag.

Chairman Flatness recognized our guest, Liz Holloway, our representative to the State Republican Party, her husband Charles, and also Steve Downs, who was representing Randy Boyd, candidate for Governor.

Secretary Donna Taylor read the minutes of our April meeting. Kris Bancroft moved to approve the minutes, seconded by Joe Gryder; the motion carried.

Treasurer’s report was given by Larry Pendergrass. A check was given to RCHS. Marvin Keener moved to approve the report, Joe Gryder seconded the motion; the motion carried.

Jim Murphy gave the PAC report.

Announcements: Keith read the election results from the May 2018 primary. The Republican Party did well at the polls. Keith also read a Thank You note received from Nolan Purser, and a letter received from Randy Ellis.

Kris Bancroft provided the Legislative Report and information on several bills that are before Congress. Two were concerning the revised legislation and the Fair Tax Law – HR2061.

New Business: The Bledsoe Reagan Day Dinner will be held on June 16, 2018, at 5:30 PM, Central Time. Tables cost $240 for 6 people, with singles tickets costing $40. Joe Gryder moved to buy a table, seconded by Marvin Keener; the motion carried. Marvin Keener, Jim Murphy, Keith Flatness, Bitsy Gryder, Tom and Donna Taylor stated their plans to attend. Since others expressed an interest in attending, Joe Gryder moved to buy a second table if needed, Bitsy Gryder seconded the motion; the motion carried.

Roane County has rescheduled their Reagan Day Dinner for June 28^th, in Kingston. The RCRP will purchase a table for that event.

A permanent gift is in the works for Gladys Best, to recognize her retirement from service as Register of Deeds, after 56 years of service.

Laura Travis will make her official announcement of her candidacy for County Executive, on Saturday, May 5^th, 2018, at 11:00 AM, at the Rhea County Courthouse.

Gary Drinkard reminded us that we all need to be working for our national candidates.

Bill Hollin reported on several items that were before the Legislature and had been reviewed by a Committee he served on as County Commissioner.

Chairman Flatness moved to adjourn the meeting at 8:33 PM.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

To learn who rules over you, simply find out whom you are not allowed to criticize – Voltaire.

BOOK OF THE MONTH

“One Hundred and One Famous Poems,” compiled by Roy J. Cook, and originally published by The Cable Company in 1929 is the choice for the July 2018 entry. It is an inspiring tome with many great poems by poets who are equally as great including this one:

The Flag Goes By

Henry Holcomb Bennett

Hats off!

Along the street there comes

A blare of bugles, a ruffle of drums,

A flash of color beneath the sky:

Hats off!

The flag is passing by!

Blue and crimson and white it shines,

Over the steel-tipped, order of lines,

Hats off!

The colors before us fly;

But more than the flag is passing by.

Sea-fights and land-fights, grim and great,

Fought to make and to save the State:

Weary marches and sinking ships;

Cheers of victory on dying lips;

Days of plenty and years of peace;

March of a strong land’s swift increase;

Equal justice, right and law,

Stately honor and reverend awe;

Sign of a nation, great and strong

To ward her people from foreign wrong:

Pride and glory and honor, – all

Live in the colors to stand or fall.

Hats off!

Along the street there comes

A blaze of bugles, a ruffle of drums;

And loyal hearts are beating high:

Hats off!

The flag is passing by!

RANDOM THOUGHTS

In 1944, 18 year olds stormed enemy beaches, parachuted behind enemy lines, and charged into German machinegun fire. Today, 18 year olds need safe spaces, security blankets, bubbles, coloring books, gun-free zones, and counselling for PTSD caused by opposing views and words they feel are offensive.

READERS ANNOUNCEMENTS & COMMENTS

This section is provided for our readers to make announcements about activities in their area or offer commentary on current events. Readers are encouraged to do so. Please e-mail your announcements or comments to pyrope84045@mypacks.net – Editor.

Mark Mathias, a reader from Cincinnati, OH, offers the following observation. When in obvious trouble, the left has six things they always do in some order: deny, delay, deflect, distract, discredit, and dissemble.

John Anthony, a reader from Cleveland, TN, offers the following:

The IG’s report and the theft of President Trump’s personal records to enable further actions to destroy a sitting president are unarguable proof the US government is the largest criminal enterprise on earth. We are its victims.

Donald Trump is fighting the battle to save America single-handedly. He cannot win without our help. We will not survive as a free peoples if he does not win.

We have already lost most control of ‘our’ government. If we fail to stand united, now, we will be enslaved for the rest of our days.

This November we must vote in numbers never before seen in the history of the United States. This November, we must grow our control over the House, the Senate, and the States’ governors and Houses. We must repeat in 2020.

There is no reprieve for us; there are no more options, no more ‘wait and sees’, no more IG reports, no more sub-committee hearings that will change anything. Beyond Donald Trump, there is no one in government on whom we can rely. Either we stand up now, or the America we knew and still love is dead.

Make no mistake about the massive opposition we will face in November. Unprecedented numbers of illegal aliens will be at the polls, unprecedented numbers of communities will have more votes than there are registered voters. There will be an unprecedented drive to herd brainwashed students to the polls to vote away their futures and bus illegal voters across state lines to cast multiple ballots.

The stakes will be higher than anything we have experienced in 2018 and higher still in 2020. A loss this November will mean the end of all investigations into the left’s corruption and the reigniting of attacks on President Trump that make anything we have seen to date pale in comparison.

There will be no more conservative judges appointed, there will be no wall. The house and senate will use every arcane maneuver imaginable to assure that Donald Trump accomplishes nothing whether he remains in office for 2 more years or 6.

There is no one to save us, but us. How hard are you willing to work? How many people will you get to the polls?

2 ACTION STEPS: 1. Share this post with those on your email list. 2. Identify 10 people in your neighborhood and drive them to the polls.

[A worthy and noble task set before all citizens who cherish liberty. – Editor]

Brendan Thomas, a reader from Washingon, DC, shared the following: Today, the U.S. House of Representatives made significant reforms to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) in agriculture legislation that passed by a narrow margin. Congressman Scott DesJarlais, a member of the House Agriculture Committee and the Subcommittee on Nutrition, which oversees the federal food stamp program, provided a crucial vote to help farmers and ranchers in his rural district.

“The 2018 farm bill contains programs that support Tennessee farmers and ranchers, as well as the rural communities they call home. It develops rural broadband and makes changes to the food stamp program to ensure it remains for those who truly need it. With training for the modern economy, where almost 7 million jobs are waiting for them, more able-bodied Americans will re-enter the workforce,” said Rep. DesJarlais (TN-04).

As the economy has improved, food stamp rolls should have declined by a much higher figure, said the Congressman, but skewed incentives are locking healthy, working-age adults in poverty. “Broad eligibility standards, poor data-keeping and automation for administrative functions requiring human attention are inflating food stamp numbers,” said Rep. DesJarlais.

“The good news is that millions of people are finding better paying jobs and leaving government dependency programs. The better news is that we can help millions more to lead productive lives in a growing economy, while preserving assistance for the needy.

“Eighty percent of Americans agree with Republicans’ education and training efforts in the farm bill,” he said. In the 115^th Congress, Rep. DesJarlais has seen first-hand the impact career and technical education can have on his constituents in Tennessee’s Fourth District and has voted to streamline vocational training grants to states, in addition to his work to improve work requirements in SNAP.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“If we can effectively kill the national pride and patriotism of just one generation, we will have won that country. Therefore, there must be continued propaganda abroad to undermine the loyalty of citizens in general, and teenagers in particular. By making drugs of various kinds readily available, by creating the necessary attitude of chaos, idleness and worthlessness, and by preparing him psychologically and politically, we can succeed.” – Vladimir Lenin

COMMENTS FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES

Scott DesJarlais offered the following comment on President Trump’s travel ban: “The President’s authority to protect U.S. borders and American citizens from foreign threats has always been clear, according to the Constitution and federal law. What is truly radical is open-borders advocates’ view that our country must admit every refugee or visa applicant, legal or illegal immigrant, no matter the consequences. In the real world, terrorists in Syria, Yemen, Libya, Somalia and other failed states present a unique danger, and the law not only permits, but requires the President to act in our defense.”

RANDOM THOUGHTS

The best way to teach your kids about taxes is to eat 30% of their ice cream. – Bill Murray.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“We must stop thinking of the individual and start thinking about what’s best for society.” – Hillary Clinton. “Society needs to come before the individual’s needs.” – Adolf Hitler.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

NOTE: Recently, a reader asked why recently introduced legislation is included in your newsletter and the question deserves an answer: Certainly, there are many bills that are being introduced – too many for the average citizen to keep up with – and that is why those bills that have the greatest impact on our country and its citizens are included for your review. Therefore, I hope you will please peruse these bills and if you see one (or more!) that concerns you, you can then contact your elected representatives to let them know whether you support the legislation or prefer that they vote against it. It’s almost a guarantee that you will not hear about these bills anywhere else! – Editor.

HR 4684 Ensuring Access to Quality Sober Living Act of 2017, HR 5228 SCREEN Act, HR 5329 Poison Center Network Enhancement Act of 2018, HR 5580 Stop Fentanyl Deaths Act of 2018, HR 5605 Advancing High Quality Treatment for Opioid Use Disorders in Medicare Act, HR 5603 Access to Telehealth Services for Opioid Use Disorders Act, HR 5590 Opioid Addiction Action Plan Act, HR 5752 Stop Illicit Drug Importation Act of 2018, HR 5798 To amend title XVIII of the Social Security Act to require a review of current opioid prescriptions for chronic pain and screening for opioid use disorder to be included in the Welcome to Medicare initial preventive physical examination, and HR 5812 To amend the Public Health Service Act to authorize the Director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to carry out certain activities to prevent controlled substances overdoses are among numerous bills introduced in the month of May. HR 5176 Preventing Overdoses while in Emergency Rooms Act of 2018. [It appears our representatives have awakened to realize the gravity of the substance abuse crisis in America but we must be mindful of the costs for these programs; HR 5176 has a budget of $50 million! – Editor]

HR 5682 FIRST STEP Act (Collins, R-GA, 84 pages) to provide programs to help reduce the risk that prisoners will recidivate upon release from prison has passed the House and has been forwarded to the Senate.

S 2987 An original bill to authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2019 for military activities of the Department of Defense, for military construction, and for defense activities of the Department of Energy, to prescribe military personnel strengths for such fiscal year, and for other purposes. (Inhofe, R-OK, 1140 pages). This bill was Ordered Reported on 5 June, and has been forwarded by the appropriate committees to the Senate for consideration.

PN 886 On the nomination of Robert Earl Wier, of Kentucky, to be United States District Judge for the Eastern District of Kentucky. Confirmed on 5 June by a vote of 95/0.

PN 991 On the nomination of Fernando Rodriguez, Jr., of Texas, to be United States District Judge for the Southern District of Texas. Confirmed by a vote of 96/0.

HR 4267 Shielding Public Spaces from Vehicular Terrorism Act (Donovan, R-NY, 3 pages). This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to authorize expenditures to combat emerging terrorist threats, including vehicular attacks, and for other purposes. The bill was Ordered Reported on 6 June. [In other words, after 17 years, our government is still in “reaction mode.” – Editor]

HR 4824 Rural Broadband Permitting Efficiency Act of 2018 (Curtis, R-UT, 12 pages). This bill allows State permitting authorities to expand broadband services to rural communities; it will benefit rural counties that seek to provide broadband services.

HR 5206 OBIM Authorization Act of 2018 (McSally, R-AZ, 5 pages). This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of Biometric Identity Management, which is a precursor to enabling the Federal government to capture, store, analyze, and use biometric data on all citizens for any purposes deemed necessary by the Federal government; it further encroaches on American citizens’ rights under the 4^th Amendment.

RANDOM THOUGHTS “Show me the man and I’ll find you the crime.” – Lavrentiy Beria, Josef Stalin’s Chief of Secret Police from 1941-1953.

HR 5207 IAP Authorization Act of 2018 (McSally, R-AZ, 4 pages). This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Immigration Advisory Program, and for other purposes. The bill authorizes the Department of Homeland Security to capture biometric data on airline passengers, assists air carriers in conducting document examinations and traveler security assessments, engage carriers and passengers to confirm potential terrorist watch list matches, and other activities that may be deemed necessary by the Department of Homeland Security.

HR 5766 Securing Public Areas of Transportation Facilities Act of 2018. (Payne, D-NJ, 6 pages). This bill is intended to improve the security of public areas of mainly ground transportation facilities and requires the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to enhance security in transportation facilities (e.g. train, bus, and subway stations), through: information sharing (e.g. biometric data of passengers); coordinated incident response measures; suspicious activity reporting, and; the design and installation of security barriers, advanced surveillance technologies (e.g. biometric readers), and other security technologies.

HR 3 Spending Cuts to Expired and Unnecessary Programs Act. (McCarthy, R-CA, 12 pages). This bill rescinds certain budget authority proposed to be rescinded in special messages transmitted to Congress, by the President, on May 8, 2018, in accordance with Title X of the Congressional Budget and Impoundment Control Act of 1974. In other words any tax dollars allocated to expired and unnecessary programs will be returned to the Treasury. The bill was passed by the House and forwarded to the Senate on June 7, 2018.

HR 3331 To amend Title XI of the Social Security Act to promote testing of incentive payments to behavioral health providers for adoption and use of certified electronic health record technology. (Jenkins, R-KA, 6 pages). The specific text of the bill is as follows: (xxv) Providing, for the adoption and use of certified EHR technology (as defined in section 1848(o)(4)) to improve the quality and coordination of care through the electronic documentation and exchange of health information, incentive payments to behavioral health providers (such as psychiatric hospitals (as defined in section 1861(f)), community mental health centers (as defined in section 1861(ff)(3)(B)), hospitals that participate in a State plan under title XIX or a waiver of such plan, treatment facilities that participate in such a State plan or such a waiver, mental health or substance use disorder providers that participate in such a State plan or such a waiver, clinical psychologists (as defined in section 1861(ii)), nurse practitioners (as defined in section 1861(aa)(5)) with respect to the provision of psychiatric services, and clinical social workers (as defined in section 1861(hh)(1))). If passed, this bill would coerce psychiatrists, psychologists, and certain hospital technicians to enter data on patients in a prescribed format in exchange for a payment from the Department of Health and Human Services. Using data entered into the government’s system, the government would then share these data with other government agencies for use as they may deem necessary.

HR 4655 CREEPER Act of 2017. (Donovan, R-NY, 3 pages). This bill would prevent the distribution and importing of sex dolls modeled after children. These products are primarily manufactured in Asia, and feature portrayals of girls as young as five years of age. [The idea that there is a market for such products is despicable to me; it’s a commentary on the decline of our culture and an indicator of the need for professional psychological treatment of many Americans to treat their depravity. – Editor]

S 2374 Stopping Improper Payments to Deceased People Act (Carper D-DE, 14 pages), A bill to amend the Improper Payments Elimination and Recovery Improvement Act of 2012, including making changes to the Do Not Pay Initiative, for improved detection, prevention, and recovery of improper payments to deceased individuals. [Odd that the Senate should have to pass a bill for this purpose. – Editor]

S 2397 Department of Homeland Security Data Framework Act of 2018. (Hassan D-NH, 6 pages). A bill to direct the Secretary of Homeland Security to establish a data framework to provide access for appropriate personnel to law enforcement and other information of the Department.

S2836 Preventing Emerging Threats Act of 2018. (Johnson R-WI, 18 pages). A bill to assist the Department of Homeland Security in preventing emerging threats from unmanned aircraft and vehicles, and for other purposes.

S 2986 JACK Act. (Kennedy, R-LA, 3 Pages). A bill to require disclosure by lobbyists of convictions for bribery, extortion, embezzlement, illegal kickbacks, tax evasion, fraud, conflicts of interest, making false statements, perjury, or money laundering. [HURRAH! – Editor]

S 2948 Payment Integrity Information Act of 2018. (McCaskill D-MO, 58 pages). A bill to improve efforts to identify and reduce Government-wide improper payments, and for other purposes.

S 974 CREATES Act of 2017. (Leahy, D-VT, 20 pages). A bill to promote competition in the market for drugs and biological products by facilitating the timely entry of lower-cost generic and biosimilar versions of those drugs and biological products.

S 3013 A bill to amend the Trade Expansion Act of 1962 to require Congressional approval before the President adjusts imports that are determined to threaten or impair national security. (Corker, R?-TN). The Constitution imbues Congress with the power to establish international trade relations, including the assignation of tariffs, but through the years, Congress has delegated much of this responsibility to the President. Senator Corker’s bill reclaims that power for the Congress and is in direct response to President Trump’s levying tariffs on foreign goods from countries who have abused their trade relationship with the United States.

Six proposals to end the separation of families immigrating illegally at the border are currently before Congress.

In May, the Trump Administration began a new zero-tolerance policy that is separating families at the border when they attempt to illegally immigrate to the United States. Six proposals are now before Congress to end this practice.

The proposals take aim at ending the Administration’s actions from very different angles. That reflects the complex legal situation playing out. Although the Trump Administration has not ordered the separation of children from their families, the separation is a known, inevitable consequence of existing law that prohibits children from being detained by the Department of Homeland Security in federal prison — in this case, when their parents are detained for prosecution under the zero-tolerance policy.

Here’s a quick summary of each proposal:

The simplest proposal is the Keep Families Together Act [S. 3036], which would prohibit the separation of children from their families at the border. It doesn’t specify what to do instead — that would be left up to the Administration — but some form of Catch and Release might be the only legal option available. The bill would also require information be given to parents on how to locate, and monthly updates about, their children. This is Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s proposal, and all Senate Democrats have signed on as cosponsors. For more, see extended summary of the Keep Families Together Act.
Sen. Ted Cruz’s Protect Kids and Parents Act goes further. Although its legislative language has not been released yet, Cruz has said the bill will require that families be kept together — as in the Keep Families Together Act. It would also speed up the judicial process by doubling the number of immigration judges available to hear cases and limit the duration of asylum review cases. For more, see extended summary of the Protect Kids and Parents Act.
The Equal Protection of Unaccompanied Minors Act, proposed by Rep. Mark Meadows, is more complex. It would prevent the separation of families, specifically by keeping them detained together. It would also limit who could seek asylum and make other changes to immigration law. The bill has yet to be formally introduced in Congress, but draft text is available. For more, see extended summary of the Equal Protection of Unaccompanied Minors Act.
Late Tuesday a comprehensive immigration reform bill that had long been in the works to codify a form of the Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals (DACA) program, which the Trump Administration ended last year, was announced by Rep. Bob Goodlatte, chair of the House Judiciary Committee. The bill, the Border Security and Immigration Reform Act of 2018, would provide $25 billion for a border wall, make other reforms, and contains the same provisions for keeping families together as in the Equal Protection of Unaccompanied Minors Act by Rep. Meadows. The bill has not been formally introduced but draft text is available. For more information, see Goodlatte’s press release.
The HELP Separated Children Act [H.R. 5950; S. 2937], which was introduced nearly a month ago by Democrats, took a middle-of-the-road approach. While it wouldn’t have ended the practice of separating families, the legislation would allow children to visit parents who are detained and allow parents one last goodbye to their children prior to being taken into custody. For more, see extended summary on the HELP Separated Children Act.
The Trump Administration could also end the practice immediately, at least temporarily, by freezing its zero-tolerance policy, and Sen. Orin Hatch has asked the President to do just that.

The Trump Administration has wavered on whether separating families is meant as a deterrent, but it’s clear it is being used as leverage for funding a border wall, ending the Catch and Release process, and turning to merit-based immigration. The Administration has said it will not support a narrow fix for keeping families together and will only support comprehensive reform with those elements — such as the Goodlatte bills, HR 4760, which failed by a vote of 193/231. (See also HR 6136).

If you’d like to let your representative and senators know what you think about the proposals, take a few moments to contact them and let them know!

HR 2 Agriculture and Nutrition Act of 2018 (Conway, R-TX, 748 pages). The bill passed the house by a vote of 213/211. The bill amends and extends major programs for income support, food and nutrition, land conservation, trade promotion, rural development, research, forestry, horticulture, and other miscellaneous programs administered by the Department of Agriculture (USDA) for five years through 2023. The bill is budget neutral and $112 billion below baseline funding. The bill was passed in the House and forwarded to the Senate for consideration where a motion to invoke cloture and proceed to considering the bill was passed by a vote of 89/3.

HR 4294 Prevention of Private Information Dissemination Act of 2018. (Kustoff, R-TN, 6 pages). This bill amends the Financial Stability Act of 2010 to provide a criminal penalty for unauthorized disclosures of certain individually identifiable information by officers or employees of a Federal department or agency.

HR 5094 Enhancing Suspicious Activity Reporting Initiative Act. (King, R-NY, 10 pages). This bill directs the Secretary of the Department of Homeland Security to improve suspicious activity reporting to prevent acts of terrorism. It also further compromises the 4^th Amendment rights of U.S. citizens and is crafted in a manner that purposely fails to define the specific definition of “suspicious activities.” This bill was passed via a motion in the House to suspend the rules and take a voice vote; the bill has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

HR 5783 Cooperate with Law Enforcement Agencies and Watch Act of 2018. (Hill, R-AR, 2 pages). This bill provides a “safe harbor” (in other words, relief from law suits by account holders when financial institutions share their personal information without having been presented a duly authorized warrant demanding same), to various entities of government.

HR 5206 OBIM Authorization Act of 2018. (McSally, R-AZ, 8 pages). This bill amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of Biometric Identity Management, and for other purposes. The bill was passed by voice vote, via a motion to suspend the House rules and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

HR 5207 IAP Authorization Act of 2018. (McSally, R-AZ, 8 pages). This is a companion bill to HR 5206 and amends the Homeland Security Act of 2002 to establish the Office of Biometric Identity Management. The bill was passed by voice vote, via a motion to suspend the House rules and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

[Via HR 5206 and HR 5207 has the camel gotten his nose into the tent of the 4^th Amendment? – Editor]

RANDOM THOUGHTS

The most effective way to destroy people is to deny and obliterate their own understanding of their history. – George Orwell

EDITORIAL

The building we call Independence Hall was built in 1753; it originally served as the seat for the colonial legislature and later for the Pennsylvania State House until the capital was moved to Lancaster, in 1799. It became the principal meeting place of the Second Continental Congress, and was the site of the Constitutional Convention in the summer of 1787.

In the year leading up to the final draft of the Declaration of Independence, as early as April of 1755, armed conflict had already broken out between the colonists and British troops. The colonists, however, were not fighting for their independence from England, they were fighting for their rights as subjects of King George III.

Few colonists in 1775 desired full independence from Great Britain, and those who did were considered radicals. However, on hearing of the colonists’ insurrection and conflict with British troops, the King addressed Parliament in October of 1775, where he gave orders to crush the rebellious colonies with the full force of his army and navy. News of the King’s orders reached America in January of 1776. King George’s threats to the colonists made it evident to most Americans that independence was, indeed, the only viable alternative to the pressures brought to bear by the crown.

By the following summer, the Revolutionary War was in full swing. Delegates to the Continental Congress were then forced to vote on the issue of independence.

In mid-June of 1776, a five man committee, including Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin, and John Adams were tasked with writing a formal statement of the colonies’ intentions and after much debate the Continental Congress formally and officially adopted the Declaration of Independence on July 4^th although many historians agree that it was not actually signed until August 2^nd. Even then, not all the 56 delegates had signed the official document on August 2^nd: Elbridge Gerry, Oliver Wolcott, Lewis Morris, Thomas McKean, and Matthew Thornton signed on a later date.

Several copies of the Declaration of Independence were made – the original rests in the National Archives, in Washington, DC, but during World War II, the Declaration was temporarily moved to Fort Knox.

One of the copies was sent to George Washington, who was at the time commanding the Continental forces in New York. When General Washington read aloud his copy in front of City Hall, the raucous crowd cheered the inspiring words and tore down a statue of King George III. The statue of the king was later melted down and transformed into some 42,000 musket balls that were used by the Continental Army.

Only one signer of the Declaration of Independence recanted his signature and that was under extreme duress. Richard Stockton, a lawyer from Princeton, New Jersey, was captured by the British on November 30^th, 1776 and thrown in jail. After months of harsh treatment and having been nearly starved to death by the British, he repudiated his signature in exchange for his life. However, Stockton took a new oath of loyalty to the state of New Jersey, in December of 1777.

When reading the Declaration of Independence we tend to marvel at its message – the self-evident truth that all men are created equal and are endowed by their Creator with the right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness – but few of us realize the depths of those sacrifices made by those men who signed it. The fact is, they made many sacrifices – sacrifices that perhaps too few Americans would consider making today when they pledged their lives, fortunes, and their sacred honor to the cause of liberty.

Twelve served in various state militias, 17 lost their property in raids by the British army, and five sacrificed their fortunes to fund the cause of liberty. The following link provides some history about these remarkable men, the Founding Fathers of our nation: http://www.ushistory.org/declaration/signers/hewes.html

There is so much more to read and understand and, yes, cherish about our wonderful country – the greatest nation to ever exist on planet Earth – for the more we know about our history, the more understand that those who criticize our country are doing so out of ignorance or in an effort to demoralize patriotic American

IN CONGRESS, JULY 4, 1776

The unanimous Declaration of the thirteen united States of America

When in the Course of human events it becomes necessary for one people to dissolve the political bands which have connected them with another and to assume among the powers of the earth, the separate and equal station to which the Laws of Nature and of Nature’s God entitle them, a decent respect to the opinions of mankind requires that they should declare the causes which impel them to the separation.

We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness. — That to secure these rights, Governments are instituted among Men, deriving their just powers from the consent of the governed, — That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, laying its foundation on such principles and organizing its powers in such form, as to them shall seem most likely to effect their Safety and Happiness. Prudence, indeed, will dictate that Governments long established should not be changed for light and transient causes; and accordingly all experience hath shewn that mankind are more disposed to suffer, while evils are sufferable than to right themselves by abolishing the forms to which they are accustomed. But when a long train of abuses and usurpations, pursuing invariably the same Object evinces a design to reduce them under absolute Despotism, it is their right, it is their duty, to throw off such Government, and to provide new Guards for their future security. — Such has been the patient sufferance of these Colonies; and such is now the necessity which constrains them to alter their former Systems of Government. The history of the present King of Great Britain is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations, all having in direct object the establishment of an absolute Tyranny over these States. To prove this, let Facts be submitted to a candid world.

He has refused his Assent to Laws, the most wholesome and necessary for the public good.

He has forbidden his Governors to pass Laws of immediate and pressing importance, unless suspended in their operation till his Assent should be obtained; and when so suspended, he has utterly neglected to attend to them.

He has refused to pass other Laws for the accommodation of large districts of people, unless those people would relinquish the right of Representation in the Legislature, a right inestimable to them and formidable to tyrants only.

He has called together legislative bodies at places unusual, uncomfortable, and distant from the depository of their Public Records, for the sole purpose of fatiguing them into compliance with his measures.

He has dissolved Representative Houses repeatedly, for opposing with manly firmness his invasions on the rights of the people.

He has refused for a long time, after such dissolutions, to cause others to be elected, whereby the Legislative Powers, incapable of Annihilation, have returned to the People at large for their exercise; the State remaining in the mean time exposed to all the dangers of invasion from without, and convulsions within.

He has endeavoured to prevent the population of these States; for that purpose obstructing the Laws for Naturalization of Foreigners; refusing to pass others to encourage their migrations hither, and raising the conditions of new Appropriations of Lands.

He has obstructed the Administration of Justice by refusing his Assent to Laws for establishing Judiciary Powers.

He has made Judges dependent on his Will alone for the tenure of their offices, and the amount and payment of their salaries.

He has erected a multitude of New Offices, and sent hither swarms of Officers to harass our people and eat out their substance.

He has kept among us, in times of peace, Standing Armies without the Consent of our legislatures.

He has affected to render the Military independent of and superior to the Civil Power.

He has combined with others to subject us to a jurisdiction foreign to our constitution, and unacknowledged by our laws; giving his Assent to their Acts of pretended Legislation:

For quartering large bodies of armed troops among us:

For protecting them, by a mock Trial from punishment for any Murders which they should commit on the Inhabitants of these States:

For cutting off our Trade with all parts of the world:

For imposing Taxes on us without our Consent:

For depriving us in many cases, of the benefit of Trial by Jury:

For transporting us beyond Seas to be tried for pretended offences:

For abolishing the free System of English Laws in a neighbouring Province, establishing therein an Arbitrary government, and enlarging its Boundaries so as to render it at once an example and fit instrument for introducing the same absolute rule into these Colonies

For taking away our Charters, abolishing our most valuable Laws and altering fundamentally the Forms of our Governments:

For suspending our own Legislatures, and declaring themselves invested with power to legislate for us in all cases whatsoever.

He has abdicated Government here, by declaring us out of his Protection and waging War against us.

He has plundered our seas, ravaged our coasts, burnt our towns, and destroyed the lives of our people.

He is at this time transporting large Armies of foreign Mercenaries to compleat the works of death, desolation, and tyranny, already begun with circumstances of Cruelty & Perfidy scarcely paralleled in the most barbarous ages, and totally unworthy the Head of a civilized nation.

He has constrained our fellow Citizens taken Captive on the high Seas to bear Arms against their Country, to become the executioners of their friends and Brethren, or to fall themselves by their Hands.

He has excited domestic insurrections amongst us, and has endeavoured to bring on the inhabitants of our frontiers, the merciless Indian Savages whose known rule of warfare, is an undistinguished destruction of all ages, sexes and conditions.

In every stage of these Oppressions We have Petitioned for Redress in the most humble terms: Our repeated Petitions have been answered only by repeated injury. A Prince, whose character is thus marked by every act which may define a Tyrant, is unfit to be the ruler of a free people.

Nor have We been wanting in attentions to our British brethren. We have warned them from time to time of attempts by their legislature to extend an unwarrantable jurisdiction over us. We have reminded them of the circumstances of our emigration and settlement here. We have appealed to their native justice and magnanimity, and we have conjured them by the ties of our common kindred to disavow these usurpations, which would inevitably interrupt our connections and correspondence. They too have been deaf to the voice of justice and of consanguinity. We must, therefore, acquiesce in the necessity, which denounces our Separation, and hold them, as we hold the rest of mankind, Enemies in War, in Peace Friends.

We, therefore, the Representatives of the united States of America, in General Congress, Assembled, appealing to the Supreme Judge of the world for the rectitude of our intentions, do, in the Name, and by Authority of the good People of these Colonies, solemnly publish and declare, That these united Colonies are, and of Right ought to be Free and Independent States, that they are Absolved from all Allegiance to the British Crown, and that all political connection between them and the State of Great Britain, is and ought to be totally dissolved; and that as Free and Independent States, they have full Power to levy War, conclude Peace, contract Alliances, establish Commerce, and to do all other Acts and Things which Independent States may of right do. — And for the support of this Declaration, with a firm reliance on the protection of Divine Providence, we mutually pledge to each other our Lives, our Fortunes, and our sacred Honor.

——-

RANDOM THOUGHTS

When you see that trading is done, not by consent but by compulsion; when you see that in order to produce you need to obtain permission from men who produce nothing; when you see that money is flowing men who deal not in good but in favors; when you see that men get richer by graft than by work and your laws don’t protect you against them but protect them against you; when you see corruption being rewarded and honesty becoming a self-sacrifice; you may then know your society is doomed. – Ayn Rand.

LAGNIAPPE

We hear a lot these days about our government collecting biometric data on citizens and others in the United States but few people know exactly what biometric data might include. Biometric data is a general term used to refer to any computer data that is created during a biometric process. This includes: samples of body fluids e.g. saliva or blood in which our DNA can be defined; fingerprints, hand geometry (the length and shape of our fingers), and vein patterns on the back of our hands; facial features (bone structure), retina scans (the analysis of the capillary vessels located at the back of the eye), iris (the analysis of the colored ring that surrounds the pupil of the eye; personal identity data including our name and demographics; our medical records; our signature, and; any other means by which our individuality may be determined.

So how are these data stored? Each component of our personal identity is given a numeric value and, when all the data are collected, a value is derived which is used to assign a numerical value that is uniquely our own.

Of course, at any given moment all these data are not available to those who may wish to determine our identity but, when a certain number of values are derived – enough to ascertain a potential match – those values inform the observer when the rest of our data should be taken and then fed into a computer to verify our identity.

Where are these data collected? In many places. At our doctor’s office, in hospitals, when we have a new photo taken for our driver’s license and passport, when we apply for a concealed carry permit. Everywhere.

Originally, biometric data was used to determine verify the identity of those who are permitted into a restricted areas, e.g. missile silos, certain secure compartmentalized information facilities (SCIFs), nuclear weapons storage facilities, and the like. Later, various types of scanners were installed in airports and used to identify passengers (especially on international flights from countries known to harbor terrorists), and police stations. Then we started seeing biometric scanners in banks. Now biometric scanners are located (if you look really hard) in train stations, where we shop, and even on street corners.

Essentially, our every move can be traced through the use of biometric scanners. All that is necessary to do is for a programmer to load an individual’s biometric data into a computer and instruct the computer to report the presence of the targeted individual. Yes, the process is still a bit cumbersome but, through the use of artificial intelligence, the process is becoming easier every day.

The reaction to the presence of biometric scanners has been predictable. Some people believe its use is an encroachment on our 4^th Amendment rights and, in response to this encroachment, you will see people wearing hoodies, glasses with reflective lenses, broad-brimmed hats, and the like. People in Europe, where there’s no such thing as a 4^th Amendment are more cautious and some have taken up the practice of “ringing” surveillance cameras. They hang a motorbike tire over the camera mount, fill it with “petrol,” and light a fire to it. (The penalty, if caught doing this, often carries an automatic five-year stint in the slammer.)

Those who tout the use of biometric scans are quick to tell us it’s all for our own good. They tell us it keeps us from being ripped off when we engage in electronic commerce. For those of us who do online banking, one can purchase a peripheral device that will scan the fingerprint of our index finger to prove who we say we are – this works well for so long as someone doesn’t abscond with our index finger!

In the end, biometric data, like any other technological advancement, can be used for good or ill, but we should remember that almost every convenience comes with a price and we must ask ourselves if we are willing to pay that price.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

The nationalist not only does not disapprove of atrocities committed by his own side, he has a remarkable capacity for not even hearing about them.-George Orwell, writer (25 Jun 1903-1950)

CONTACT YOUR ELECTED REPRESENTATIVES

President Donald Trump

The White House

1600 Pennsylvania Avenue

Washington D.C. 20500

Phone: (202) 456-1414

Fax: (202) 456-2461

e-mail

http://www.whitehouse.gov

president@whitehouse.gov

U.S. Senator Lamar Alexander

455 Dirksen Senate Office Building