For some unknown reason at the time, I took a rare Friday off from work. I rarely do that, but something told me I needed a three day weekend. I now think that something was someone...that someone was God.
I am a firm believer that He (God for you heathens) knows what's best for us. That Friday, October 3rd, 2008, God knew that I would need to be home to hold the hand of a dying friend. he knew I had to hold the hand of a great love of mine - Lady liberty - because I watched in horror as she took her last dying breaths at approximately 1 PM the very same day. She was a grand gal, and the pill that killed her was called HR1424, or as it is now called by most folks, the Wall Street Bailout Bill.
Now, before you dismiss me as a sentimental nutcase, please read on. In the end, you may still call me a nut, but you'll know I'm telling the truth - the truth that in Congress Friday, our country changed from a representative republic, to a socialist republic, due to the passage of that one bill, HR1424, and no matter what the talking heads and pundits tell you, they know it as well. Here's why...
The bill gave near Czar powers to the Secretary of the Treasury. Despite the changes to the original bill that mandated Congressional oversight at 250 billion dollar increments, the bill (I'm sorry. I will call it a law now that George The Lame has hurriedly signed it into law.) the LAW specifically states that assets purchased may be disclosed to Congress in confidence, denying the public to what exactly their money has purchased, and doing an end-run around the Freedom of Information Act. The other fact that many don't know, is that this new law, while it puts a cap of 700 billion dollars on government ownership of any assets, be they toxic, be they mortgages, or whatever , it states the key words, "AT ANY ONE TIME", which, my new comrades, means as long as they stay under the 700 billion dollar cap, they can stay in the financial markets indefinitely, as there is no expiration on the law. this means when they liquidate an asset, they can belly back up to the bar and fill the cup back up to 700 billion dollars. This effectively socializes the financial markets, which we all know is the lifeblood of our capitalist society. We will not have toxic assets forever, and as we know about power - it corrupts - and politicians will start buying other assets - banks - properties, etc., because the law states, "as the Secretary of the Treasury deems necessary." Well, again this is with Congressional oversight. We have other agencies that have Congressional oversight - Freddie Mac - Fannie Mae - see how that worked out?
You did catch the part about the Fed owning mortgages, didn't you? Yours? Mine? Who knows? We won't! One thing I do know is that while there are laws governing the conduct of mortgage holders and what they can stipulate as to your conduct on the property mortgaged, the government, because it makes the laws, has no such restrictions. This opens the door for so many ills; because your mortgage may now be held by the government, the ACLU (or pick any of a myriad of America haters) could charge that having a Bible, Torah, etc., could be a violation of the separation of church and state. All they need is the right Judge! It could be, that in the future, you may be required to have NPR piped throughout your prospective dream home, where the drone of patriotic songs could be heard amongst the tributes to President Obamessiah. Sound far fetched? Maybe, but now, that big brother scenario is one less hurdle away from reality!
Finally, the most telling tale about this saga, and the most troubling, is the blatant disregard for the will of it's constituency exhibited by BOTH houses of Congress while ramrodding this bypassing of the Constitution down our throats. It has been been said that on the floor of the Senate (It could be an urban legend in the making, I admit.) someone shouted, "Constitution? We don't need no stinkin' Constitution!" I don't doubt it. Anyway, I digress. Surveys found that the people of what was the United States of America overwhelmingly rejected the bailout plan in both its, first, second, and third forms. Yet, a panic-stricken (maybe) Secretary of the Treasury alerted the biggest tool of a lame-duck president in recent memory, who in turn got a power hungry Congress into rare work mode, and despite the constant calls, emails, and faxes, they passed this nation changing piece of garbage! This is the most troubling event of the whole episode. They ignored us! Blatantly! Even Lindsey Graham said (I'm paraphrasing) that he was inundated by calls and letters against the bailout, but that sometime an elected official had to go against the will of the people to do the right thing. They right thing??!! Lindsey, the "right thing" to do would have been to let our country remain a representative republic instead of you deciding arbitrarily what's " best for us". That flushing sound you heard Friday was our representation going down the crapper! Now they can do it with impunity, and I promise you it will become more regular. Welcome to the socialist nanny state.
So, I watched the vote, and as it finished they all applauded, and I started to weep. I couldn't help but think about that Natalie Portman line as Queen Amadala in Star Wars as the senate handed over power to Darth Sidious. She looked at her costar, Jimmy Smits, and said, "So this is how liberty dies. To thunderous applause."
My youngest brother and I are both combat veterans. He is still active, and follows politics closely like I do. So I sent him a text message..."Welcome to the USSA". To which he responded, "Amen. Welcome to the New Socialist America. the beginning of the end of free enterprise and democracy". Then he called me, and we shed some needed tears together. he said, "The ironic thing is that I'm sworn to work for and protect the very same government that may one day kick in my door and haul me away." We said our goodbyes, and as I hung up, I though about the blood soaked beaches of Normandy - for people who have never really appreciated it - and now how it really seemed to be so much loss of life in vain.
I will come back from this death, as will others. I have beautiful friends who remind me on the indomitable American spirit and to not give up the fight. I won't, but the truth is that only one time in our history have we fought an internal enemy, and we have NEVER fought one in our capitol on their terms and won. I have never seen an occasion where the fed relinquished power once they've acquired it, so this is at best a battle against all odds. At worst? the United Socialist States of America.
I will not give up, but this internal struggle in our country may in the end only be resolved with bloodshed, I'm afraid. the will of the people is severely wounded, and this struggle is the equivalent of an asthmatic who wants to climb Mount Everest. I never thought I would see this happen to my beautiful country, at least in my lifetime. Right now, city hall in Reagan's "Shining City on a Hill", is ablaze.
I thank God for the beauty that was, though. It was a very, very beautiful dream.
