THE RHEA COUNTY REPUBLICAN

ADVANCING THE CONSERVATIVE CAUSE

Vol. 2 – No. 1 – March 2018

DON’T FORGET! THE REAGAN DAY DINNER IS SATURDAY, 3 MARCH, 5:30 EST, AT THE RHEA COUNTY HIGH SCHOOL AUDITORIUM. SEE YOU THERE!

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

MARCH MEETING

The March meeting will be held on Thursday, 1 March, at 7:00 PM, at the Rhea County Sheriff’s Training Center, 711 Eagle Ln, Evensville, TN. We look forward to seeing you there!

MINUTES FROM THE JANUARY MEETING

The January 4, 2018 meeting was opened by Chairman Keith Flatness, at 7:00 PM.

Marvin Keener led the prayers and Joe Gryder led the Pledge of Allegiance.

Chairman Flatness recognized our guest.

Tom Taylor read the minutes [from the previous meeting]. A correction was noted for the mount to be charged for tables of six at the Reagan Day Dinner, from $225 to $275. Marvin Keener moved to approve the minutes as corrected, second by Joe Gryder. The motion carried.

The PAC report was given by Keith Flatness, in Jim Murphy’s absence. Because of lack of activity in the PAC account it may be closed by the bank. Bitsy Gryder moved, second by Joe Gryder, that we transfer $100 to that account. Motion carried.

Chairman Flatness announced that the $500 contribution was made to the Sheriff’s Toy Drive, and he had received a “Thank You” from Sheriff Neal.

The Legislative Report was given by Kris Bancroft.

Old Business – Update on the Reagan Day Dinner: the Cumberland Café will cater; they will provide plates, silverware, etc.; send e-mail requesting ladies to prepare desserts to sell at the Reagan Day Dinner; discussion about items for the auction.

Open Discussion – Gary Drinkard talked about the Question and Answer program for the candidates for Governor. Laura Travis announced her plans to run for Rhea County Executive.

Joke of the Month – Chairman Flatness again entertained us with his Joke of the month. The next meeting will be held February 1, 2018. Joe Gryder moved to adjourn.

Submitted by Tom Taylor for Donna Taylor, Secretary.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

If you are serious about wanting to improve education, do not vote for more money for the education establishment that has been dumbing down the schools for years. Vote for vouchers, tax credits, or anything else that will transfer decision-making power to the parents. – Thomas Sowell

COMMENTS FROM OUR REPRESENTATIVES

Scott DesJarlais offered the following comments on his vote to pass the Defense Funding Bill.

“National security is the federal government’s first priority, clear in our Constitution. With Russia, China and North Korea advancing their military capabilities, and Islamic terrorist groups active in large parts of the world, we must rebuild our forces to protect Americans, as well as brave men and women currently serving in the Navy, Army, Air Force and Marines.

“Conflicts in Europe, the Middle East and Pacific are straining a historically small number of troops and ships. This readiness problem has been building, as global threats mount, and budget uncertainty grows in Washington.

“We have accomplished a lot in the last year, but need to address the crucial issue of dependable military funding. The House has sent numerous measures to the Senate, which must act soon.”

Secretary of Defense James Mattis addressed the House Armed Services Committee, remarking that “We expect the men and women of our military to be faithful in their service even when going into harm’s way. We must be faithful to them . . . “our men and women in uniform are not bargaining chips.”

Dr. DesJarlais supported Secretary Mattis, noting that: “For the sake of political expedience, some are demanding special favors, focused on non-related issues. For the sake of national security, we must rebuild our country’s depleted military, as the vast majority of Americans are demanding.”

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“Need” now means wanting someone else’s money. “Greed” means wanting to keep your own money. “Compassion” is when a politician arranges the transfer. – Joseph Sobran

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.

Sandy Singleton, a reader from Coffee County, TN has informed us of the passing of Col. Maximilian “Max” Lamont, of Tullahoma, Tennessee, who departed this life on 25 January, at the age of 91. Max was serving on the Election Commission at the time of his death. He had served as a PT boat crewmember during WWII, and continued his service through the Korean War and in Vietnam. He was buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

Dr. Merrily Salyer, a reader from Sterling, VA shared the following: Democrats filed an abysmal fundraising report with the Federal Election Commission (FEC); they are almost broke.

The Democratic National Committee (DNC) only has $200,000 more than their debt. The Republican National Committee (RNC) has no debt, and $38.8 million on hand.

House and Senate Republicans are also boasting of successful fundraising hauls. It’s not impossible for Democrats to get a surge of cash and be competitive in November, but they are behind the eight ball.

Harrison Lapahie, a reader from Ship Rock, NM shares this comment: DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) is not what the Dems say it is. Here are the facts!

DACA (Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals) was an unconstitutionally illegal EO (Executive Order) created by U.S. President Obama. Democrats now want to make DACA legal by providing amnesty to DACA recipients (Dreamers) who are low-skilled and low-educated with marginal English abilities. The media makes it seem that Dreamers are similar to educated Americans who speak English well and have jobs. Yet only 49% of Dreamers have a high school diploma, 46% of Dreamers have only ‘basic’ English ability, and 24% of Dreamers are functionally illiterate. Because of this, a significant percentage of Dreamers may have serious limitations in their education, experience, and English fluency that will negatively affect their ability to function in American society. And the swelling population of illegal immigrants and their kids is costing U.S. taxpayers $135 billion a year, driven by free medical care, education, and a huge law enforcement bill where 20.3% of prison inmates are illegal aliens.

Dreamers and illegal aliens, just follow the American law that is already in place. It is unfair for Dreamers and illegal aliens to have broken the law, get their ‘free’ U.S. citizenship through amnesty, over the non-citizen who applied for U.S. citizenship, followed U.S. law and went through the process of getting their U.S. citizenship legally. And providing amnesty to illegals, will encourage more of them to break American law to enter the USA hoping for their ‘free’ U.S. citizenship someday.

Linda Pendergrass, former Chair of the Rhea County Republican Party wishes to inform local members of the Rhea County Chamber of Commerce’s Coffee Gathering, which will be held on 13 March, beginning at 7:30 AM, hosted by the UT Extension Office, and held at the Rhea County Welcome Center. Also, the Rhea County Chamber of Commerce will host a “Meet and Greet” event, hosted by the Main Street Dayton organization, on 22 March, at 11:30 AM, at a location to be announced in a future edition of the Rhea County Herald newspaper.

Jim Hice, a reader from Cleveland, TN shared this quote: “Lord the money we do spend on government! And it’s not one bit better than the government we got for one-third the money 20 years ago.” – Will Rogers.

Barry Clevenger, a reader from Lucas, IA, reminds us “DACA was an Executive Order signed by Barack Obama, it was never passed by the House or Senate; it merely represents Obama’s disrespect for our Constitution and every American citizen. The DREAM Act was never passed by the House or Senate; it is NOT a law than should be enforced. Americans MUST not allow unconstitutional actions by our government to prevail. I hope everyone will let their Congressman and Senators know what they’re doing is wrong.

Brian Troyer, a reader from Apple Creek, OH offers the following: As I daily hear the news and propaganda coming out of DOJ and Congress, it’s second nature to hear the legalistic weasel words and verbal gymnastics these people use, but I still often take it for granted that what is blaringly clear to me is also clear to people who don’t live in this world.

When Rosenstein announced the indictments of some unknown Russian pranksters on Friday, many supporters of the President heard him say the activity didn’t alter the outcome of the election, and that no Americans — Donald Trump — were knowing participants. Many are now angry that the media and Democrat narrative nonetheless goes on uninterrupted.

But what Rosenstein actually said is, there is no allegation in the indictment . . . so this has allowed leftists like Chuck Todd to go on saying nothing has been resolved. Trump still might be Russian! We just haven’t alleged it [in this indictment.]

What is going on here? They are being cute. Rosenstein and Mueller are still carrying out the Stzrok “insurance policy.” They have nothing. They know Donald Trump is totally innocent. They know this ridiculous indictment doesn’t even have anything to do with the Steele dossier of lies about the President.

But they are hedging and refusing to concede until the bitter end. They are still working to set traps for the President and his associates. So they just won’t close the door. They are like blind drunks insisting that they dropped a wallet of cash while the cops drag them out — it’s here somewhere if we just let them keep looking.

They play this game over and over. Remember when Clapper and Comey admitted under oath that there was no evidence of Trump collusion? Well, they didn’t. They said they didn’t “include” any evidence in their report. Go back and check.

See how this works? They had no evidence. They used all the resources of the intelligence community, desperately digging for something. They found nothing.

But, instead of candidly admitting there simply was no evidence, they hedged. They knew what they were doing. Lawyers’ code.

This is how you know all these people are part of the conspiracy, part of the insurance policy. They never tell the straight truth. There was no collusion by the Trump campaign. We know for a certain fact that the Clinton campaign did collude with Russian agents — that is the whole source of the lies against the President.

But Mueller and Rosenstein keep the narrative alive. Trust me, they are the enemy.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“A nation can survive its fools, and even the ambitious. But it cannot survive treason from within. An enemy at the gates is less formidable, for he is known and carries his banner openly. But the traitor moves amongst those within the gate freely, his sly whispers rustling through all the alleys, heard in the very halls of government itself. For the traitor appears not a traitor; he speaks in accents familiar to his victims, and he wears their face and their arguments, he appeals to the baseness that lies deep in the hearts of all men. He rots the soul of a nation, he works secretly and unknown in the night to undermine the pillars of the city, he infects the body politic so that it can no longer resist. A murderer is less to fear.” Marcus Tullius Cicero

BOOK OF THE MONTH

Escape from Camp 14 by Blaine Harden is a New York Times Best Seller. The New York Times described the book as “A gripping story, unsparingly told.” It is the story of Shin Dong-hyuk, a man who was born in one of North Korea’s labor camps. Destined to work in the camp until he died (many people in the camps are worked literally to death). Shin eventually made his escape into China, and then traveled to South Korea, and then to the United States.

North Korea’s political prison camps have existed twice as long as Stalin’s gulags and twelve times as long as the Nazi concentration camps. These camps are clearly visible in satellite photos, yet North Korea’s government denies their existence. No one born and raised in these camps was ever known to have escaped. No one that is except for Shin Dong-hyuk. In Escape from Camp 14, veteran reporter Blain Harden unlocks the secrets of the world’s most repressive totalitarian state through the story of Shin’s shocking imprisonment and astounding get away. A tale of endurance and courage, survival and hope, Harden’s harrowing narrative exposes this hidden dystopia, focusing on an extraordinary young man who came of age inside one of the world’s darkest nations.

Mitchell Zuckoff, New York Times bestselling author of Lost in Shangri-La remarked “If you have a soul, you will be changed forever by Blain Harden’s Escape from Camp 14.”

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“Evil preaches tolerance until it is dominant, then it tries to silence good.” – Archbishop Charles J. Chaput.

LEGISLATIVE REPORT

Legislation Recently Introduced

Scott DesJarlais voted to pass HR 4547 Strengthening Protections for Social Security Beneficiaries Act of 2017 (Sam Johnson, R-TX) amends Titles II, VIII, and XVI of the Social Security Act, to improve and strengthen the representative payment program. The bill was passed by the House on 5 February 2018, and has been forwarded to the Senate for consideration.

HR 4924 To Amend the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 to reform the procedures provided under such Act for the initiation, investigation, and resolution of claims alleging that employing offices of the legislative branch have violated the rights and protections provided to their employees . . . including protections against sexual harassment, and for other purposes. [This 53 page bill contains several needed changes that address the recent sexual harassment cases that have recently arisen in our government but it seems likely that many of them will be weakened as the bill passes through the legislative process as it passes through various committees and to-and-from the House and Senate. – Editor]

HR 4919 IG Subpoena Authority Act (Steve Russell, R-OK) amends the Inspector General Act of 1978 (Section 6.A. Additional Authority) to provide testimonial subpoena authority to the Inspectors General. In cases where subpoenas are disobeyed, the recipients may be prosecuted in the appropriate United States district court. An Inspector General may not use this subpoena power the attendance and testimony for current Federal Employees, but may use other authorized procedures.

HR 4376 Department of Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017, HR 4377 Accelerating American Leadership in Science Act of 2017, and HR 4378 Nuclear Energy Research Infrastructure Act of 2017 are bills containing significant redundancy; each bill directs the Secretary of Energy to carry out certain upgrades to research equipment and construct research user facilities for ambiguous purposes.

S 2286 Senator Bob Corker has sponsored the Nick Castle Peace Corps Reform Act of 2018. This bill would provide greater protection and services for Peace Corps volunteers. This bill is in its earliest stages of development and will likely see numerous additions and modifications before it goes to the Senate floor for a vote.

S 2178 Inspector General Recommendation Transparency Act of 2017 (Heitkamp, D-ND) would require the Council of Inspectors General on Integrity and Efficiency to make open recommendations of Inspectors General publicly available. The committees on Homeland Security and Government Affairs have reviewed this bill and have sent it to the Senate as a whole for consideration.

HR 4925 Federal Railroad Administration (FRA) Safety Data Improvement Act (Gottheimer, D-NJ) would require the Administrator of the FRA to implement certain recommendations for management and collection of railroad safety data. The committees assigned to review this bill have sent it to the House for further consideration.

HR 4921 Surface Transportation Board (STB) Information Security Improvement Act (Mitchell, R-MI) would require the STB to implement recommendations of the Inspector General to the Department of Transportation. These recommendations would include safety and security for railroads, pipelines, hazardous materials facilities and transport, and infrastructure.

Senator Lamar Alexander introduced S 2434 A bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act to reauthorize user fee programs relating to new animal drugs and generic new animal drugs. [No further details are known at this time. – Editor]

HR 4607 Comprehensive Regulatory Review Act (Loudermilk, R-GA). This bill would amend the Economic Growth and Regulatory Paperwork Reduction Act of 1996, to ensure Federal financial regulators perform a comprehensive review of regulations to identify outdated or otherwise unnecessary regulatory requirements imposed on covered persons. [This bill is in keeping with President Trump’s agenda to decrease the number of regulations and is of specific interest to entrepreneurs. – Editor]

HR 1965 Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act of 2017 (Wagner, R-MO). This bill would amend the Communications Act of 1934, to clarify that Section 200 of the Act does not prohibit the enforcement against providers and users of interactive computer services of Federal and State criminal and civil law relating to sexual exploitation of children, or sex trafficking.

HR 2422 Action for Dental Health Act of 2017 (Kelly, D-IL). This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to improve essential oral health for low-income and other underserved individuals by breaking down barriers to care.

HR 2410 Sickle Cell Disease Research, Surveillance, Prevention, and Treatment Act of 2017 (Davis, D-IL). This bill would amend the Public Health Service Act to reauthorize a sickle cell disease prevention and treatment demonstration program and to provide for sickle cell disease research, surveillance, prevention, and treatment.

(Not yet numbered) The Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Designation Act is sponsored by Senator Ted Cruz (R-TX), which would criminalize association with the Muslim Brotherhood under Article III – Section 3, of the Constitution of the United States, as well as under various sections of the US Code.

(Not yet numbered) Creating Relief and Useful Middle-Class Benefits and Savings “CRUMBS” Act of 2018 was introduced by Rep. Todd Rokita, (R-IN), which will make the first $2500 of bonuses received by workers in 2018 tax free. [The bill receives its title in the form of an acronym in response to House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi’s admonishment that President Trump’s tax cuts were mere “crumbs”.]

RANDOM THOUGHTS

Is it worth one more American life to try to build a nation for people unwilling to fight for their own country? – Rand Paul, US Senator. [I used to ask this question back in the ‘60s. Still, no answers. – Editor]

Legislation Recently Passed

Scott DesJarlais voted to pass HR 1892 Honoring Hometown Heroes Act, a bill that authorizes governors of a state or territory, or a possession of the United States, or the Mayor of the District of Columbia to proclaim that the U.S. flag shall be flown at half-staff in the event of the death of a first responder working in such jurisdiction who dies while serving in the line of duty. The bill passed by a vote of 245 to 182 in the House and Senate and was signed by President Trump on 9 February 2018. [It seemed odd that such a bill could contain 250 pages. Additional scrutiny reveals this bill also contains extensions for the Continuing Appropriations Act of 2018, the Department of Defense Appropriations Act of 2018, the SUSTAIN Care Act of 2018, and the Family First Prevention Services Act of 2018.

Scott DesJarlais voted to pass HR 3851 War Crimes Rewards Expansion Act (Virginia Foxx, R-NC) amends the State Department Basic Authorities Act of 1956, to provide for rewards for the arrest or conviction of certain foreign nationals who have committed genocide or war crimes. The bill passed in the House by a vote of 407 to 0 and goes next to the Senate for consideration.

S 534 Protecting Young Victims from Sexual Abuse and Safe Sport Authorization Act of 2017 (Feinstein, D-CA), was signed by President Trump on 14 February 2018. The bill extends the mandatory reporting requirements of child abuse to national governing bodies (e.g. USA gymnastics and affiliated amateur sports organizations), to ensure that reports are immediately made to local and federal law enforcement authorities.

Scott DesJarlais voted to pass HR 3122 Veterans Care Financial Protection Act of 2017 (Cartwright, D-PA). The bill would require the Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) to post notice on its website about dishonest individuals who prey on those who receive pension benefits with regular aid and attendance (A&A), and are at risk of financial exploitation. Additionally, the bill requires the Government Accountability Office (GAO), to conduct a study and report to Congress on how to protect vulnerable veterans from fraud and abuse.

NOTE: The legislation sponsored by John McCain and Christopher Coons to “provide a path to citizenship for some 1.8 million illegal aliens was defeated with a parity of votes from both Democrats and Republicans.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

“We need to understand the more government spends, the more freedom is lost . . . Instead of debating spending levels, we ought to be debating whether the Departments, Agencies, and programs funded by [our tax dollars] should exist at all. – Ron Paul

EDITORIAL

President Trump’s first State of the Union address was a speech that, by all standards, was inspiring; his message was a heart-felt oration delivered with sincerity and filled with facts relating to his many accomplishments over his first year in office. The content was such that it gave hope to all Americans who allowed themselves to listen with an open mind and patriotic heart.

But the Democrats didn’t like it.

In fact, it was nothing less than stunning to observe the Democrats’ reaction to the State of the Union address. They refused to applaud rising wages, lower taxes, the millions of new jobs returning to the U.S., record stock market gains, the lowest black unemployment in 17 years, and the lowest Hispanic unemployment in history. If the Democrats thought none of these accomplishments were worthy of appreciation and celebration, one was left to wonder just what the Democrats are for.

Neither did the Democrats applaud the decimation of ISIS, our National Anthem, our flag, more healthcare choices for working Americans, improved healthcare treatment and benefits for our veterans, increased government accountability, new developments in life-saving medicines, a decreasing crime rate, and successes in the war on illegal drug use and opioid addiction.

The Democrats even refused to applaud for our nation’s motto “In God We Trust.”

At some point, in evaluating the behavior of the Democrats, it became painfully obvious to all rational people that no matter what accomplishments President Trump might have achieved for our country the Democrats could only show their disdain for him. No matter what vision for our future he might have laid out for our country the Democrats would fight to defeat it. Irrespective of what good might be provided to our country by President Trump’s leadership, the people knew at that moment the Democrats would rather see our country fail than to see President Trump succeed.

Ultimately, by their hate-filled response to the President’s State of the Union address – and it can only be described as hate – the Democrats have proven beyond doubt that they truly hate constitutional government and the rule of law, they don’t care that ordinary Americans have suffered under their failed economic policies, and they are fully complicit in working with our enemies – both foreign and domestic – to destroy this Republic.

As distasteful as the Democrats’ reaction to President Trump’s State of the Union address might have been, we must realize that the Democrats’ blatant propensity to disagree merely for the sake of disagreeing has caused a division among their supporters. Those who have voted for Democrats all their lives have begun to seriously doubt the Democrats agenda. There is now before us a wonderful opportunity – an opportunity to reach out to our liberal friends, to empathize with them over the pain they suffered as they witnessed the Democrats’ anti-American attitude. We must take this opportunity to explain to our liberal friends that they really do have a viable choice – a choice to join with every other American who loves this country and agrees with President Trump’s agenda going forward.

On the night of the State of the Union address, the Democrat politicians unwittingly revealed their divisiveness. The rational among those who voted for those Democrats realized they had actually voted against their own best interest. We conservatives have an opportunity to sow the seeds of unity, to show our liberal friends that President Trump’s agenda serves their interests far better than what the Democrats have in mind.

It all begins with a conversation where we ask our liberal friends to affirm whether they agree with, and are benefitting from, President Trump’s vision for America – lower taxes, more choices in job opportunities, better care for our veterans, a stronger military, and the like. We must prepare ourselves with factual and irrefutable data that proves the case for conservatism being the true sponsor of freedom for all American citizens – the vehicle that will allow every American to go as far as their talents and efforts will take them.

RANDOM THOUGHTS

I have no problem with vigorous background checks for those who wish to purchase a firearm. While we’re at it, let’s do the same for immigrants and voting. The Newly Press

LAGNIAPPE

The following is the fifth part of a seven part adaptation of an essay I wrote in 2008 summarizing some lessons I’ve learned at the “College of Hard Knocks.” It has been adapted to illustrate the serial errors made by our government and by the progressive movement, and is intended to illustrate just how dire our country’s economic situation has become as a result of government’s gross mismanagement over the past century. – Editor.

In Part 1 we learned that we cannot do business with people who have no “money.” That is, we cannot do business with people who have nothing of intrinsic value (material or perceived value – including labor) to exchange for items of equal value.

In Part 2 we learned there’s no such thing as “free” where exchanges from one individual to another is concerned – every dollar one person receives from the government represents a dollar confiscated from another individual or entity.

In Part 3 we learned that it is impossible to spend our way into prosperity. When our government tries to solve a problem without a viable plan, no matter how well the attendant legislation is funded, bad ideas simply never work – the “War on Poverty” and the “War on Drugs” were cited as examples from the past. More recent examples would include “nation building” and “alternative energy” programs.

In Part 4 we learned the errors encountered when continue spending money (and other resources e.g. effort and time) on items and programs that will result in failure regardless of our desires to counter irrevocable fact. We examined the penalties encountered when doing so not only from the aspect of our personal lives but, most especially, how wasteful government programs are detrimental to sound and judicious fiscal policy.

Rule #5. Consuming more than we produce will invariably end in economic ruin.

At some level, every rational human being realizes that if we consume more than we produce – or if we spend more than we earn – we invariably end up in the poor house. This is why we practice our own version of fiscal responsibility.

Now, with this in mind, look around the globe and examine the various economic status of all countries. You will find the strongest and most robust economies are enjoyed by those countries that produce more than they consume – those countries that export more goods (agricultural products and other consumables, durable goods, manufactured items), than they import. Those countries benefit from a trade surplus.

Among those countries that can boast of trade surpluses, the strongest of the strong are those countries who are, at the same time, most diverse in the genera of products they produce for the people of their nation and export to other nations. Thus, they are more independent of the whims of various embargoes or politics, or shortages caused by wars, raw materials, droughts, and the like. These countries produce – and ultimately offer on the world market – a wide mixture of all products that are needed in the rest of the world, while at the same time their governments practice sound fiscal policies.

Now, if such a country is wise enough to avoid continual conflict with other nations or meddling in their affairs, and allows its people to benefit from free market capitalism, that nation prospers beyond the comprehension of people living in today’s times.

Our nation has not followed that economic policy in quite some time. We have become importers of things we are perfectly capable of making ourselves. Our gross national product has waned. Meanwhile, our economic condition has grown worse as our government has allowed itself to become mired in one conflict or nation building fiasco after another. Adding to the misery of lackluster production, our government has too often meddled in the affairs of other nations, whether it be in the form of war or nation building. As a result, Americans have suffered.

Those countries that produce and export the widest arrays of products also enjoy another economic advantage – they are empowered by their independence from market manipulators and can leverage their position to impose suffering on other countries – “economic warfare” if you will.

Now, if responsible people can succeed in avoiding becoming overextended with their credit it seems our government could – and should – do the same thing.

Our government hasn’t passed a budget in several years. It simply operates on one Continuing Resolution after another and either printing more fiat currency or borrowing money – mostly from governments that don’t like us very much – and driving every citizen deeper and deeper into debt. Our current debt is now in excess of $20 trillion! That’s more than $63,000 for each American citizen.

Meanwhile, our infrastructure is collapsing and our government sends our money to other countries, many of whom do not like us very much, either. They would like for us to believe we can somehow buy friendship. How dumb is that?

The Keynesians try to tell us “we owe the money to ourselves.” Don’t believe it. Sooner or later our national debt will most certainly be called in and our economy will very likely collapse. Unless this irresponsible management practice is reined in, we are destined to go the way of the former Soviet Union, Venezuela, and Zimbabwe. Is it reasonable that we should leave this legacy to our children and grandchildren?

If there is one cause that every American – regardless of their political affiliation – should unite in, it would certainly be that we must unite in demanding our government adheres to the same fiscal responsibility each of us must embrace.

Won’t you join in this cause today and demand of those who represent us do what is right for our country?

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