Editor

The Washington Times

Washington, DC

Dear Sir:

I am announcing that I will be throwing my hat in the ring in the 2012 presidential race.

What is my experience in politics, you ask?  I have listened to worthless politicians all my life.  That’s my experience.  I will not be making basketball picks nor playing basketball or golf.  As president, I will work six days a week, taking off on Sundays to attend the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass with my wife.  I will take off Christmas, Good Friday through Easter, the 4th of July, and Thanksgiving.  I will accept no pay.  I will sign whatever I have to sign to begin drilling for oil and gas again in all 50 (not 57) states.  My Attorney General will not be sending any little Cuban boys, who have escaped the oppression of communism, back to Cuba.  He will be adhering to Federal Judges on rulings on the resumption of off shore drilling and the unconstitutionality of the socialistic health care plan.  Foreign aid will come to an end, with the exceptions of South Korea, Taiwan, and Israel.  Europe and the rest of the world will have to defend themselves or pay the price of non-vigilance.  Some of the savings could be used to send anyone who hates this country to the country of his choice, understanding that he will never be allowed to return.  The entire United States-Mexican border would be closed.  I must hate Mexicans?  No, I’m ¼ Mexican.  I would not take any military questions from “journalists” unless they had served this in the military.  I’m proud to say that I have a birth certificate, and having served our Republic in the United States Marine Corps, I already know how to pronounce corps!

There you have it; hat in the ring.

Sincerely

Kenneth Paynter

Garrison Keillor plays off the Tea Party name, saying most Americans prefer coffee to tea.  Though a board member of the San Antonio Tea Party, I too prefer coffee.  And though Mr. Keillor and I both understand the historical reference of the Tea Party name, he finds it rhetorically useful to ignore.

Mr. Keillor next invokes the almost incomprehensible human suffering from the Haitian earthquake, apparently trying to tar Tea Parties with responsibility for natural disasters.  Keillor’s prose is evocative.  But wrapping himself in the pathos is a polemical tool, an emotional appeal unrelated to the substance of his argument.

Keillor correctly notes that healthcare reform proposals are too murky to explain clearly, but he blames that on trying to attract Republican votes.  Obamacare did not rely on Republican votes, and the legislative contortions arose from attempts to draw in less ideologically committed among his own party, such a Ben “Sweepstakes” Nelson of Nebraska.

Keillor also correctly, albeit argumentatively, formulates the basic divide over Obamacare: whether health care should be a legally enforceable right.  He and the left wing say “yes.”  The San Antonio Tea Party believes rights remain as they were at our nation’s founding: not what the government might give you but protection from what the government might do to you.

In not one of the amendments comprising the Bill of Rights and nowhere else in the Constitution is there anything that the government must give you.  Everything is focused either on organizing and running the government or on liberties the government must respect.

The reason is simple.  Government creates nothing.  Whatever government possesses, it has taken from those subject to it.  To give a dollar to one person, government must first have taken the dollar from others.  For you to have a legally enforceable right to the dollar, you must have a legally enforceable claim on the fruit of others’ labor.  American history has a sordid episode when such claims existed: slavery.

Keillor tries to tie left-wing policy nostroms to Christian doctrine.  I am hardly a theologian, but I don’t recall anything about Christ having a economic policy or saying people have a right to look to the state for support.  If Christ demands a left-wing economic policy and left-wing economic policies are shown, as they have been, to impoverish people, where does that leave religion?  As to the implied relationship between Tea Parties and Pat Robertson, if Keillor won’t blame us for what comes out of Robertson’s mouth, we won’t blame him for what comes out of Jeneane Garofalo’s.

The headline on Keillor’s column says Tea Parties “should wake up and smell the coffee.”  After last Tuesday’s special election in Massachusetts, perhaps Keillor himself has some smelling to do.  That a little-known Republican is replacing Ted Kennedy in the United States Senate testifies to overreaching by the left wing.  The people of Massachusetts did not like where they were being taken and screamed halt.  In Massachusetts.  The only state carried by George McGovern.  What does Keillor think will happen in states with more conservative leanings?  To quote another columnist, Charles Krauthammer of the Washington Post: “You would think lefties could discern a proletarian vanguard when they see one.”

Back to the tea or coffee issue, Keillor may not be aware of the historical connection between the Boston Tea Party and the American preference for coffee.  Both stem from the British tax on tea.  Tea was initially preferred in America as it was in Britain, but Americans despised the British tax.  Switching to coffee became a way to express solidarity against unfair taxation.  No wonder so many Tea Partiers drink coffee.  If Mr. Keillor comes to town, I’ll buy him a cup.

We are at this point in the history of this United States of America, in Perilous Times.  But be were born for just such a time as this.  In order to survive our current threats, we must know how to focus and who to focus on, then act!

A famous and powerful speech that stirred a nation by Patrick Henry, rewritten for today.

The question before this House is one of an awful moment for this country. For my own part, I consider it as nothing less than a question of freedom or slavery under socialism.  It is only in this way that we can hope to arrive at truth, and fulfill the great responsibility which we hold to God and our country.  Should we keep back our opinions at such a time, through fear of giving offense, then we should consider ourselves as guilty of treason towards our country, and of an act of disloyalty toward the Majesty of Heaven, which I revere above all earthly presidents, kings and czars.

We are apt to shut our eyes against a painful truth, and listen to the song of that siren till she transforms us into beasts.  Is this the part of wise men, engaged in a great and arduous struggle for liberty?  Are we disposed to be of the number of those who, having eyes, see not, and, having ears, hear not, the things which so nearly concern their temporal salvation?  For my part, whatever anguish of spirit it may cost, I am willing to know the whole truth; to know the worst, and to provide for it.

I know of no way of judging the future but by the past.  And judging by the past, I wish to know what there has been in the conduct of our leadership of this country that for the last many years that our leadership has given us no hopes with which we have been pleased to solace ourselves.  Is it for the insidious smiles from the president and leaders of the house and senate with which our petition has been lately received?  Trust it not, for it will prove a snare to your feet.  Suffer not yourselves to be betrayed with a kiss. Ask yourselves how the ungracious reception of our petitions underscores their true intentions to thrust this country into socialism and unredeemable debt which will cover our waters and darken our land.

They tell us, that we are weak; unable to cope with so formidable an adversary. But when shall we be stronger?  Will it be the next week, or the next year?  Will it be when we are totally disarmed, and when a guard shall be stationed in every house?  Shall we gather strength by irresolution and inaction?  Shall we acquire the means of effectual resistance by lying supinely on our backs and hugging the delusive phantom of hope and change, until our enemies shall have bound us hand and foot?

They have forced laws to kill millions of unborn Americans and ushered in millions of illegal aliens who use our medical and social services at extremely high cost to our citizens.  They disregard out Constitution.  Our president now consorts with our enemies and apologizes for our history.  Yet, we are the most loving and giving nation of all those on earth. The current leadership of this nation refuses to listen to, “We The People”!

We are not weak if we make a proper use of those means which the God of nature hath placed in our power.  The millions of people, armed in the holy cause of liberty, and in such a country as that which we possess, are invincible by any force which our enemy can send against us.

Besides, we shall not fight our battles alone. There is a just God who presides over the destinies of nations, and who will raise up fellow Americans to fight our battles with us. The battle is not to the strong alone; it is to the vigilant, the active, the brave.  Besides, we have no choice now for honest leadership of our government, even if we we’re base enough to desire it, it is now too late to retire from the contest. There is no retreat but in submission to socialism and slavery!  Our chains are forged!  Their clanking may be heard on the plains of Boston (where the Tea Party began)!  The battle for freedom is inevitable–and let it come!  I repeat it, let it come.

It is in vain to extenuate the matter.  We may cry, Peace, Peace– but there is no peace.  The battle is actually begun!  The next gale that sweeps from the north will bring to our ears the sounds of chants to give us our liberty and not government control.  Our brethren have already gone to the mall in Washington D.C. at almost 2-million strong!

Why stand we here idle?  What is it that we wish?  What would they have?  Is life so dear, or peace so sweet, as to be purchased at the price of socialism and un-repayable national debt which will bring us to slavery?  Forbid it, Almighty God!  I know not what course others may take; but as for me, give me liberty or give me death!

This is paraphrased from Patrick Henry’s famous speech to fit our present circumstance.  But today, God is not calling us to arms.  God is calling us to prayer, national repentance and peaceful action, … but indeed ACTION!

In the book of ACTS the word “church” comes amid threats, both internal and external. BUT God’s Church prevails to this day.  Ladies and gentlemen, the word for the true Church mentioned in the Bible is Ecclesia which means “The Called Out Ones”.  The true church is not contained in walls with stained glass windows but it is in our hearts.

The current evil leadership of this nation cannot prevail against our God. Do not let the Bible depart from your heart or mouth, meditate on it day and night, so that you may be careful to do everything written in it. Then you will be prosperous and successful.  God says, “Have I not commanded you to be strong and courageous. Do not be terrified, do not be discouraged, for the Lord your God will be with you wherever you go.”

As for me and my house, we will serve the Lord. AMEN!

The San Antonio Tea Party: www.sanantonioteaparty.org

When I think of a Patriot, George Washington, Thomas Jefferson, Benjamin Franklin come to mind. How could I even consider myself a Patriot? In reviewing my American history I remembered:

The Patriots of 1776 believed:

* in Natural Law which was based on God’s Laws and used these laws to build the Constitution

*in limited government

*in protecting the family and the institution of marriage

*in self-preservation

*in justice by reparation

*in the right to bear arms

*in no taxation without representation

*all men are created equal

*in “Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness”

*those representing “the People” work for the people

As I read through these, I realize that I believe the same things, so I will consider myself a Patriot.  I may not be in the same league, but I believe just as strongly.   The difference is they were Patriots of the structuring of a brand new country bound for glory.   I am a Tea Party Patriot working to bring back to focus the Declaration of Independence, the Constitution, and Natural Law in order to protect the country the 1776 Patriots envisioned.  The San Antonio Tea Party is a group of people of all races and professions who are nonpartisan, peaceful, well-organized, and intelligent .  If you believe as the Patriots, come work with us .   It just might relieve your frustration and help you have your voice heard.

Beverly Bybee

Using a dozen social networking sites to mobilize constituents opposed to big government spending, the grassroots movement has taken on issues far beyond taxes to protest President Obama’s sweeping agenda.  And by all appearances, its efforts have not gone unnoticed.

They claim to be a grassroots movement, but critics call them astro-turf. (We are grassroots, astro-turf doesn’t grow!)  In either case, the Tea Party movement is quickly shaking off its “greenness” to become a force that some coalition members contend is more effective than the Republican Party.

“This movement has done more to give conservatives a voice than the GOP has in the past eight years,” said Dana Loesch, a conservative radio talk show host and member of the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition. “Republicans have been following the Tea Party’s lead since February.”

“I think it’s fair to say this is not a Republican-sponsored movement,” said Brendan Steinhauser,an organizer who described supporters as “conservatives, independents, and libertarians” concerned over the “size and scope of the government.”

Tea Partiers got their start last fall as a disorganized bunch of disaffected voters who were furious about the Bush administration’s Wall Street bailout. Then, Steinhauser said, these opponents of excessive government spending were pushed over the edge by President Obama’s call for a $787 billion stimulus.

Using a dozen social networking sites to mobilize constituents opposed to big-government spending, the movement took root in February after a group of individuals used Twitter to react to CNBC on-air editor Rick Santelli’s “rant,” in which he accused the government of “promoting bad behavior” in regard to the Homeowners Affordability and Stability Plan, and raised the idea of a “Chicago Tea Party.”

Since then, the movement has taken on issues far beyond taxes and spending, and has found it is able to mobilize mass responses in short order.

Movement organizers last week were quick to lash out against Obama’s plan to speak directly to students in their first week of school, and the accompanying lesson plan drawn up by the White House.

Within hours of the White House’s announcement, the Nationwide Tea Party Coalition launched a Web site called “Hall Pass on That,” offering an alternative for students who did not wish to view the president’s address.
The group called on school administrators to let students opt out of assignments requiring them to write letters about what they could do to “help the president.” School districts like Lindburgh School District in St. Louis, Mo., chose not to broadcast the speech live after coalition members contacted school administrators to protest its viewing.

But it’s that kind of influence that has some questioning the group’s independence.

At first, Tea Partiers relied heavily upon social networking sites like Twitter, Facebook, and Ning to organize rallies quickly and efficiently and to raise money in all 50 states. But the movement is now spearheaded by an alliance of several conservative groups — including FreedomWorks, Tea Party Patriots, Resistnet.com and the National Taxpayers Union.

Steinhauser is director of federal and state campaign for FreedomWorks, the non-profit organization founded in 1984 by former House Majority Leader Dick Armey. Counted on its board of directors is none less than entrepreneur and former Republican presidential candidate Steve Forbes.

FreedomWorks is now a central organizer getting out the message about Tea Party events, and has largely funded the rallies leading up to Saturday’s march in Washington, D.C., where “tens of thousands” are expected to attend.

The march will be the culmination of a 34-city, 7,000 mile Tea Party Express bus tour that began Aug. 28 in Sacramento, Calif. And the Tea Partiers meet in D.C. with a message for Obama — large-scale opposition to the current plans for a health care overhaul, among other policies, and a demand that health insurance reform create more competition and be guided by market principles, not a government-run plan.

“People on the right just typically don’t protest,” Steinhauser said of the rallies highlighting the Tea Party Express.
The Tea Partiers’ opponents say the group is highly organized, but leaders in the movement disagree among themselves even about who is the leader, or whether there is one.

Steinhauser told FOXNews.com on Tuesday that the idea for a Sept. 12 march was his. But other activists insist there is no leader and that the movement is strictly a groundswell.

Conveying news and information about the Tea Party events also has an unruly quality about it. The movement has attracted the attention of popular conservative commentators like Rush Limbaugh and Glenn Beck as well as support from Democrats like New Hampshire state legislator Joel Winters, who is expected to speak at Saturday’s mass rally in Washington.

But it also touts folk heroes like out-of-work, every-man “Joe the Plumber” as a draw to its rallies.

The White House has so far made little mention of the organized movement, and it declined to comment for this article. In an Aug. 4 off-camera briefing with reporters, White House Press Secretary Robert Gibbs alluded to the coalition, saying, “I hope people will take a jaundiced eye to what is clearly the astro-turf nature of so-called grassroots lobbying.”

“Clearly the White House is shaken up by the opposition,” said Steinhauser. “They’ve basically lied about us. Mr. Gibbs has made comments saying we’re encouraging people to disrupt town hall meetings. That’s a total fabrication.”

Groups like the left-leaning Center for American Progress have characterized the movement as nothing more than a manipulative organization aimed at thwarting progressive reform.

“The deep-seated concerns being expressed by a minority of the American public are being used and manipulated by corporate interests to defeat progressive reform,” Faiz Shakir, research director at the Center for American Progress, told FOXNews.com in a statement. “The deep pockets of big oil and insurers are funding the tea parties in order to misdirect popular anger against an agenda that would actually serve the interests of many of the protesters.”

Even Republican leaders likes House Minority Whip Eric Cantor recognize that Tea Partiers can do more to whip up support than those confined to Capitol Hill.

“The party, when it has been on the ascendency, it has always been from the ground up, it hasn’t been from the top down, so it is not something that can be tightly controlled from a centralized point,” Cantor told FOXNews.com. “The strength of the party is premised on the strength of this country, which comes from the people, not from Washington.”

Coalition members credit the movement’s success to its focus on traditional conservative principles they claim Republicans have abandoned in recent years. Loesch added that the GOP hasn’t done enough to support the candidacies of Republicans who represent those principles — like former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, former presidential candidate Fred Thompson and Minnesota Rep. Michelle Bachmann.

“We’ve seen more support online from the grassroots for people like Palin than we ever saw from the GOP,” she said.

OPEN LETTER TO MICHAEL STEELE AND THE REPUBLICAN NATIONAL COMMITTEE

On the first page of your website you have a section that says something to the effect, “tell me what you think.” OK, here it is. How much longer do “we the people” have to sit out here and wait for you to do something? Where is your voice? Where is your spine? Why does a talk show host/entertainer have to do your job? Where is the leadership of the Republican Party in Congress?

If the United States of America survives past 2009 it will certainly not be because the RNC and the congressional leadership stood firm and held news conferences and produced youtube videos, to keep us, the citizenry informed. What a sad state of affairs when the media controls what we get to hear from you, the elected officials. Are you fearful of what they will call you? Have you no power? Do they own you?

The grassroots have been fighting since April to voice our opposition to what is happening in our government. We have held tea parties, town halls, rants in public places, we have all become proficient on facebook, twitter, blogs, etc. We stay up most nights trying to google information, watch Glen Beck, read and re-read our constitution. We have been like blind people trying to put a puzzle together and now that we are succeeding in seeing what is being done to us, it’s a frightening thing. I can only speak for myself but there have been times in the last six months that I have to pinch myself and ask if I am still in my country.

We have spent time calling, writing, emailing, petitioning our elected officials and we are called un-American, terrorists, mobs, dangerous, right-wing extremists, kooks, etc. I don’t hear national voices calling the main stream media to task for attacking us. I have only heard of one congressman who is going to the Library of Congress before the session begins to look up information on “redressing of grievances”. Why hasn’t the entire Republican congress called a meeting to ask the same thing?

We begged the Republicans to stop cap and trade and they did not. I can’t believe that any thinking person would even be talking about trying to pass something as heinous as HR 3200. When I hear a Republican, especially McCain talk about tweaking the bill and then passing it, I want to scream! What could these people be thinking. The only thing that could help this bill is for it to be flushed!

Do you watch television? Do you watch Fox News? Do you watch Glen Beck? I’m appalled that there has not been a movement from the Republican Party to impeach this man who is living in our Whitehouse. Don’t even try to tell me that we can’t do that. We must impeach him. Are you aware that Van Jones, the green job czar, whose organization, the Apollo Alliance wrote the stimulus bill and is receiving tax dollars to dismantle our country? Van Jones is a self-avowed communist! Those are his words. This man is an advisor to the President? How can that happen? How can any elected official stand by and let this happen? Who is representing us?

What about Cass Sunstein? This man is a fascist nut. Yes, I did say fascist. I’m sick of not being able to speak truths because we’re fearful of not being politically correct. Guess what? We are out of the p.c. closet. Sunstein is a proponent of the ‘nudge’ philosophy – Nudge: Improving Decisions About Health, Wealth, and Happiness. Our decisions, our health, our wealth and our happiness. No thank you. This man thinks animals should have the right to take people to court??? This is not a fairy tale.

Now we hear that our internet may be taken from us through legislation. SB 773. Will this be carried out through martial law? I have not heard one Republican official say that they are not going to allow this to happen.

Are all the conspiracy theorists correct when they say that the Republicans are just as instrumental in destroying our country as the liberal fascist arm of the Democratic Party are?

The President is destroying the United States of America. If a Russian Professor can see it, and write articles about it, why can’t you? What do we need to do to start the impeachment process? I could list numerous other things that he has done that I believe are in direct opposition to our constitution but I don’t have the time or the space. You could contact Glen Beck, he will fill you in.

I am going to put this letter on Facebook, Twitter, blogs; I’m going to email it to every address I can get my hands on. I will send it as a press release to every media outlet I can think of and who knows, maybe one or two will print it. I’m going to send it to talk shows and I’m also going to email it to you. I certainly hope I receive an answer and if I do, I will also send that out to all the above mentioned sites.

Thank you for your time and I pray that God will Bless America.

Sincerely,
Pat Wright
Sealy, Texas