What Happens To The Reagan/Constitutional Conservative Movement Now?

 

Refusing to embrace Trump is said will relegate Principled Conservatives to a political wilderness of irrelevance.  What happens to Conservatives without a home?  Does it even have a future?

We’ve spent the last decades watching the Constitutional Conservatism that Reagan branded into the GOP get trod underfoot within the Republican Party via the Establishment leadership.  It should not have surprised us, because that same Dole/Bush liberal Rockefeller Republican opposed Reagan with vehemence in his runs for the presidency – and even after he was in office.  They made it a cause to eradicate it from their party once Reagan left office, because to have listened to the beltway bunch – we are an embarrassment to their party.  There is probably no better definition of this than in Angelo Codevillas excellent essay: America’s Ruling Class and the Perils of Revolution, which if you have not read – I highly invite you to do so.

But today – it is self-evident that the Republican Party we thought was the home of limited government, Constitutional Conservatism, is nothing of the sort.  Since 2012 the leadership made it clear via rules changes that Reagan Conservatives and Originalists were to sit down, shut up and vote the party without having a say in how things are run or what policies and platforms to cherish.   The Leadership under Mitch McConnell even threatened to ‘punch us in the nose’ for daring to primary him with a Tea Party favorite.  They lied to the entire base promising to stop Obama’s Fundamental transformation if we handed them the Senate.  But the polls had barely closed and the Leadership was already giving us the middle finger.   The Ruling Class leadership established themselves as nothing but career collaborators with the Democrats and Conservative efforts to demand the foundations we respect, should be upheld.  But we were rebuffed and their contempt for us laid bare.

The Establishment worked harder to oppose their own base than the unConstitutional affronts of Obama and the Democrats.  Even to the point of empowering and funding his entire agenda.  It was a punch to the gut after a slap in the face and they told us at the beginning of this 2016 election cycle to lie back and enjoy the rape.

In the aftermath of the 2016 Primaries and the debacle of Trump – many Conservatives are now left wondering ‘what happens to the movement now?’.

Does it morph into this Nationalist Populist Fascism Trump and his hordes are preaching?  Does it get folded into Socialism Light under Rience Priebus?  Does it get redefined by Trump into something we would never recognize?   Does it need to depart the GOP and form or work to build a new party?  If so, and a departure is necessary, what then?

What happens to the core principles and foundations that are now apparently a minority within the GOP and the electorate itself?

I may have an answer as to what we might see, because I have seen a very similar thing happen, albeit not politically.

The fallout from Apostasy.

I’ve witnessed a microcosm of what I think is happening to Conservatism within churches in this country.

Now before you discount that and think that church fellowship and politics have nothing in common – understand that for most Constitutional Conservatives – their political cores are a belief system, doctrines of Americanism if you will – that becomes the prism by which they look at everything in society.  Everything.  Not just political campaigns.  But how they live their lives.   Not unlike how some Christians look at the world through the prism of the bible.

If you think that notion is absurd, then you are not a Constitutional Conservative.  You are something else entirely.

I’ve witnessed and/or been part of several large corporate churches having gone apostate on their foundational doctrines to embrace ‘new truth’ (i.e.: homosexual marriage, Chrislam or even changes in basic doctrinal beliefs) all for the sake of ‘getting new people to like us’ and grow the weekly coffer. Often it is done under the pretense of ‘preaching the Gospel’ to the unreached.    In one case, a church simply had individuals in leadership who wanted to force the church to accept heresy as a doctrine or tear the entire church down and remake it into their own image.  Some due to individuals in leadership that hated the church itself for their own personal reasons.

What happened in those experiences I think, is what we are watching take place now with Conservatism and the GOP.  And here is what happens:

During the process of ‘fundamental Transformation’ – the introduction of heretical ‘new truths’ are preached within the church.  Some doctrines declared outdated, un-useful, offensive or just plain wrong. A discussion is started about adopting or morphing other doctrines into their own. Most nod blindly in agreement, because a large number of brethren believe whatever they are told from the pulpit, rather than prove what is true themselves.  However, those who have their nose in scripture are alarmed and upset at the perversions being preached.  The leadership does nothing and actually assists the doctrinal changes begin implemented, often by proof texting the bible to authorize the changes.  So the new doctrines are imposed, incrementally at first – and then full implementation despite the complaints from longtime members who recognize apostasy.

A large number of brethren convince themselves that they can change the church from within, and work to rectify the growing discord and contentions with the elders and pastors.  Often they are placated with meaningless promises of involvement in church board decisions, or their suggestions and complaints will be taken under advisement.  They soon find their efforts get them branded as sowers of discord.

The Ministry then goes full tilt to preach ‘unity’ and ‘obedience’ to whatever the pastorship says and or decrees is the new doctrine.  This happens week after week, so as to condition the members to accept what the church government tells them.  Often there are sermon series on Romans 13, and the requirement to obey church hierarchy.

Those who continue to complain or discuss the apostasy with others, are ostracized, sermonized against and ultimately disfellowshipped, marked and put out of the congregation.  This causes a huge backlash and the leadership almost always tamps down with an authoritarian fist, warning brethren they will lose their souls if they do not accept the new doctrines and to either shut up and keep their discontent to themselves, or leave.

A major split occurs (which is where I think we are currently at with the GOP).  A number of those who recognize apostasy leave the church to form new smaller congregations.  The diminishment of the larger church is almost immediate – and usually a war of words, legal actions and other nefarious behaviors are directed at those who decide they no longer want to be part of the Mother Church.  Members of the older congregation are instructed to have no contact with those who left, and sometimes they work to discredit, sabotage and ruin the efforts those that left are making to form a new congregation.  Often internecine wars go on for years, causing more discord and division.  The larger church often aligns itself with larger apostate churches to keep their tithes and offerings up – but in short order they are folded into the churches they have adopted doctrines from and cease to be who they once were.

The dangerous fallout of such splits is the disillusionment in God that many people suffer.  Some quit the faith altogether.  Some run back to embrace ideas and beliefs they once practiced before conversion.  Some grow hostile to the very essence of Christianity, God and the bible itself.  Still there remains a remnant of core principled Believers who recognize they have no home and work to establish new fellowships among likeminded.

Among the splintered groups comes those ‘leaders’ who believe in the core doctrines that were discarded, but they now want a following for themselves.   So they work to yank as many people from the now irrelevant ‘mother church’ into their own congregations, promising them a restoration of ‘truth once delivered’ by a church that has gone apostate.  They succeed for awhile, but then members are subjected to the personal interpretations of the ‘new leader’.  Like sheep – lots of brethren will follow a man because of his oratory skills or influence.  People want to go where there are numbers rather than dwell within a handful.  But the warring factions of those who split the first time, split again and again – most often over whose name is on the door and who is in charge.  Some insist upon the precise and exact interpretation of everything from prophecy to which translation must be the only one referenced, or they declare the splintered group to be just another apostate group.  More splits occur.

This leads to a tiny minority of core people beholden to doctrine rather than men or numbers that are left to fellowship together. Home fellowships or congregations are on the rise with small groups renting storefronts.  Their numbers are less than a couple dozen people every week.  Their influence in the community is limited or next to nothing.

The results are that the brethren are jaded and worry about which charlatan or false preacher will come in and try to lead them astray.  They turn inward in terms of trust, and the preaching of the Gospel is neglected for the sake of simply catering to a core group of people who want to meet and congregate and share what they have in common.  The Great Commission becomes more diluted and society is untouched or influenced by the truths they should be sharing.

The culture around us is a testament to the damage that this kind of apostasy and splits in a body that is supposed to be serving as a witness and light to a nation that once called itself of God.  The church at large becomes lukewarm and ineffective.

That said, there are positives that occur when a biblically-oriented people remove themselves from apostasy.  Their faith and values are not diminished or rewritten to suit the agenda of others.  And while it may seem they are in the wilderness and irrelevant – they learn the beauty that comes from truly being free of ‘plantation control’.  They can maneuver and move wherever the Spirit of God directs them to move without approval or direction of a hierarchy of men that often limits what individuals can do unless the ‘leadership’ endorses it.

Over time, I have seen smaller groups network with others and they become a ‘leaderless’ movement as it were, all claiming Christ as their head and of no need for a party of men to tell them what they can or cannot do.  They field their own missionaries, outreach and are having an influence on younger people who were invisible in the larger corporate churches.  I see God’s Hand moving in these groups and I think that they will be the ones Daniel 11:32 describes as doing ‘great exploits’ – despite the fact Christian influence in America and the West in on the wane.

I am not discouraged over the fact that Christianity is largely irrelevant in a hedonist culture that sees them as intolerant or evil.  We were told this would happen in Matthew 24.  I am content to know that it is with a minority that a witness is given before God.

What happens to the Reagan Constitutional Conservative Movement Now?

As with the church – if the Constitutional Conservative movement is splintered and relegated to pockets and corners, having been rejected by the majority party and a nation that no longer reflects the values we believe in, we should in no wise capitulate and give into becoming apostates ourselves.  We have to admit we have no home or place within the Republican party.  It is wholly apostate and corrupted, it has entrenched rules that will forever eschew what you and I believe in.   We risk having our core values watered down and diminished by remaining within it.  We can build a new fellowship and party that better values what we are governed by.

For even if we are irrelevant as far as the political zeitgeist and direction of the country goes in the near future – we are the ones who have yet to do great exploits as a tiny minority that holds to the truth of our foundations and religious heritage.  We are the ones who will provide a witness and a searing conscience to those who willfully discarded what was established for liberty to be maintained in this land.  We are the ones to point the disillusioned to the path and the way back to freedom.

Our political worldview based on the true history of our founding and the documents that established liberty should not change simply because the rest of the nation has embraced Socialism and big government.  We will be the remnant that have the seeds of liberty in our souls – and should they need to be planted in the ashes of consequences, we will be the ones to plant good seed for a hoped-for good crop understanding that though we are limited to planting and watering – it is God that brings forth the increase.

The End Of Trust Now Ends America

Government, the courts, the media, all facets of civilization are crumbling under the weight of lies, deceit and corruption of a wicked generation that writes the song of our demise.

John hits one clear out of the park and past the street with this essay.  See if you agree with his assessment.

We are become Sodom and this people fulfill the scriptures in Isaiah 30:10.  Our collapse will stun the historians as to how fast, how complete and how horrifying it was.

A society built on deceit and lies, which finds values in deceit and lies, cannot exist for long because without trust – anarchy or an iron fist of unbelievable despotism is all that will remain.

In short, a people who do not trust The Almighty and will not be governed by God, will be ruled by tyrants.

 

America will Die Because of the End of Trust

by John Galt

A funny thing happened on the way to the demise of the United States of America.

Democrats blamed Republicans.

Republicans blamed Democrats.

Big business blamed the government and stupid little people.

The stupid little people believed the mainstream media and blamed big business.

Meanwhile, private property is now public property no matter what voters say or do to prevent it from happening.

And so on, and so on, blah, blah, blah. The truth of the matter is that America will die because of the dissolution of trust which was not only started by those in power, but encouraged by those same leaders, be they business, government, religious, education, etc. as an acceptable means to the end of behavior for all persons within our borders to engage in their lives on a daily basis.

What in the wide, wide world of sports am I talking about?

Truth. Trust. Honesty. Things which I am about to outline which will shock the stupid, terrorize the timid, and reinforce those who think they are prepared for the aftermath of the fall of Rome v2.0.

How bad is it in the United States now?

The President, much less the office of the Presidency can not be trusted by the American people or foreign leaders on matters foreign or domestic.

The Congress, be it any US Senator or Congressman can not be trusted as they have not only lied to get into office, but continues to lie about their commitments to the US Constitution of which they swear an oath to, or any dealings with constituents unless they have the financial wherewithal to pay for services rendered. The primary purpose of our government, be it Federal, state, or local is to seize the private property of the voters and redistribute it discreetly to those who promise to provide profit to those elected to power.

And God forbid if anyone is stupid enough to trust either of the two major political parties. They are both for sale, both betray their voters, and only care about enriching themselves as they burn the Constitution into ashes, one sentence, one phrase, and one Amendment at a time.

The Federal Courts, especially the US Supreme Court, have been replaced by political flunkies who cite international law, the Koran, or just make up justifications for rulings out of thin air which run contrary and in violation of their oath of office. Thus the final check in the checks and balances system is no longer valid and their are no checks, no balance, just rentals to fulfill the political whims or economic desires of those who wish to extract from the citizens whatever property, dignity, or obedience they desire.

The FBI and Federal law enforcement like the Secret Service was once incorruptible. Now? No one can trust any Federal law enforcement officer because it is not even known if they are illegally creating evidence for an arrest, performing a revenge attack or arrest on behalf of a wealthy competitor or enemy; worse there is now evidence of detention without cause or due process and sadly, political arrests at the behest of officials in the regulatory agencies for the purpose of seizing private property.

No individual who works for any Federal, State, or local regulatory agency can be trusted. Regulators can be purchased by businesses to put competitors out of business for fictitious cause,  private property seized for a politician or contributor, or worse, families destroyed to fulfill a twisted version of family, education, or households as determined by individuals who have no concept of freedom or the Constitution and use the usual refrain, “I’m only following orders.”

The local and state law enforcement apparently can no longer be trusted either. This taser happy group of steroid infused US military applicant rejects seem to enjoy their task of intimidating civilians while beating up, molesting, and violating the rights of anyone from age 6 to 96. It puts the fear of every sane individual, innocent or not, every time the blue lights appear in the rear view mirror, in front of one’s home, or just walking down the street if that person will survive or have their rights violated by a law enforcement officer on a daily basis.

The religious leadership of this nation, hell, even at the local level, can not be trusted. If it is not that they use their religious beliefs to force conforming to government dictum against their religious writings, it’s the fact that many churches, synagogues, and mosques have so perverted their teachings to entrap members or worse, create a group of mindless robots which obey every utterance of the political leaders. Worse, one can not trust their children because who the hell knows what acts they might be trained, recruited, or forced to perform in the name of their religion.

The deception of how little trust their is in our society filters down to our employers. Many now act only as filtering agents, filling out reams of paperwork to conform with Unconstitutional government orders and worse, compliance with regulations not designed for safety or freedom, but to report on worker’s activities, payroll, and social programs designated to illustrate the “social justice” of the workplace.

Remember the trust everyone put in their financial advisers, stock brokers, and bankers? I’ll blow that trust up with the following: Dot.com and 2007-2009. Number of financial leaders arrested, convicted, or even punished financially for their illegal activities:

0.00

Number of retirees now forced back into the work force to bag my groceries, slice my deli meats, or greet me at WalMart? Enough where it saddens me when I see the 85 year old man asking if he can take my groceries out to my car every damned week.

Sadly, even our old “friends” we run into on a daily basis can no longer be trusted. What if one says something inadvertent or jokingly to a plumber, cable technician, mailman, babysitter, or mechanic? The inception of the Stasi based “see something say something” program now creates not only risk of becoming friends with professionals and contractors, but with the Obamacare healthcare regulatory nightmare, individuals can no longer trust doctors, nurses, firemen, or EMT’s with random conversation without facing the risk of an investigation which may separate a family or worse, incarcerate family members because of enhanced stories created by said professionals who stand to profit from tips which “could” lead to arrests.

Then this brings up the other friend, our old buddy the internet. Can anyone trust anything on the internet? Social media sites perform a function to relay information to individuals everywhere in the world, but in that process they have also become the source of skimming information for intelligence agencies and law enforcement worldwide. See something and say something jokingly or considered “at risk”? You’ll get a visit at your front door from two men wearing cheap suits and .40 caliber Glocks on side holsters under the jacket with Federal badges. Visit a website the Feds or local use to recruit or infect your computer with? You might be the victim of an unwarranted arrest for anything they dream up using manufactured evidence.  And if anyone thinks they can trust that “email” from an old friend, the message board host who contacts you to discuss your preps, or that radio host who takes a sudden interest in your personal life, think again. The internet is a great source of information, disinformation, and entertainment. It is also the one key for transferring information in a manner which would have made Nazi Germany or the Soviet Union a permanent power almost impossible to defeat because of their ability to manage their domestic populations.

The idea of doing business as Americans used to is also a fading concept. Can anyone trust the labels for our products and foodstuffs that say “Made in America”??? Can anyone trust farmers to use non-GMO seeds from you know who? Can anyone trust the beef and pork processors not to use hormone loaded meat raised on a Mexican farm that most of us would call inhumane at best, a sanitary nightmare at worst? Hell, who knows if it isn’t 30% bat or rat meat mixed in if it is from China or Mexico!?!?!? Worse, can you trust someone you do business with without the risk of being sued for no reason? Can anyone trust the person you purchase products from online or in person to be honest about what they are selling you be it a good or service? The list of things which raise everyone’s suspicions as to what is being done in the name of profit should give everyone pause but now that this lack of trust impacts the very safety of one’s family, like the 2014 record for automobile recalls by all manufacturers, it is becoming dangerous to buy anything in our nation; sort of like living in a 3rd World country like Zimbabwe.

And don’t even, ever, ever, think about trusting lawyers. Trust me. Been there, done that, lost it all.

This brings us to an even more destructive aspect of our society. Trust within the household.

No one can trust anything on television, radio, or whatever broadcast medium any longer. Be it the Fox News circus, CNN (Communist News Network), or worse, any Comcast owned product. Radio is now so commercialized that one can not trust the words of Rush, Beck, Hannity, or even the local news. Talk radio, especially conservative talk radio went from an alternative to the status quo to an agenda profit driven format to sell everyone on voting for the latest political flavor of the day. Worse, local news has gone from serious local reporting to the occasional sprinkle of hard news mixed in with flower shows, sports, and fluffernuttery. To be honest the local station for the Sarasota area has not done a hard news story since the last hurricane hit the area. Everything is to keep the peace, pacify the masses, and allow one to vent all in the name of making a profit. The hucksters will tell you they preach the gospel, have a great idea to save the nation, or better yet have a candidate who is “different” from the same old bullcrap. Reality? They just sell the BS in different packaging while laughing all the way to the bank. The good news is one does not need to worry about internet radio much longer; the United States Department of the Internet will ensure that freedom will be silenced as soon as the regulations can be drawn up between the two dominate political parties at a bar somewhere in DC.

Unfortunately, it goes beyond one’s electronic devices which spy on your person with cameras, voice with open microphones, or reports on your text messages. It now becomes a matter as to if one can trust their own spouse or worse, their own children. The education industry has determined that the biggest threat to their employment and seizure of your tax dollars is independent thought. God forbid you allow your children to read books and ideas outside of that of the state. And that brings us to their final solution, where now the educators are using government designed variations of DHS programs to teach your kids to report on your activities. Own a gun and like to go hunting or sports shooting? Their teacher’s know it and I guarantee the authorities know about every report. Yell something obscene about the President, your congressman, or local mayor? That goes into the Law Enforcement database also. And worse, if you believe in the Tea Party or, gasp, the Constitution your child probably has bugged your toilet seat and you don’t even know it.

Sadly, the society formerly known as America has encouraged one’s spouse also to lie, cheat, or honor the idea of destroying trust. The government turns a blind eye to marriage between two consenting adults, adults with goats or whatever. But if a man and woman decide to live together, God help us, that is suspicious. If they get married, it’s almost criminal now unless one of the spouses has an outside affair to “spice things up.” Even worse, this society encourages and glorifies this activity. But if the man and woman object to being forced to finance the activities of two consenting adults which violates their religious beliefs, society teaches that that man and woman can not be trusted. That the old form of a “normal” marriage is not to be trusted and these individuals most be monitored for the safety of the state and their children. We have reversed reality to a point where the “Leave it to Beaver” version of American society is now odd and “Caligula” should be the norm. How can anyone trust a nation founded on that?

I don’t have the solutions as now I think our nation is now beyond repair and foregiveness. I must be honest, as I do not trust many people and have a very, very small circle of friends. It’s hard to live a life like this, but because of the burn of the past and the marks on my soul, I now understand why our society will fail. God help those who can survive what is coming and wish to restore what was. History has proven again and again that this task has never been completed and what was shall never be again.

Enjoy what is left, while it lasts.

Solyndra – Crony Capitalism? WORSE – It’s More Like Soviet Fascism

Obama has melded aspects of both systems together to give us corruption on a national scale only banana republics used to be able to hold a candle to.

By INVAR

I just love the way SadHill News tells it like it needs to be told: without any punches and with full sarcasm and disdain for the kind of institutionalized corruption usually limited to the province of despotic island regimes.  You just HAVE to check out their blog on this sickening and in-our-face fascism to get the full feel of the giant Obama middle finger shoved up our collective taxpayer butts.

But before I snip a few relevant and brilliant points made there – I want to make a notation about a term the talk radioheads and pundits are using in regards to this scandal, and correct a gross misapplication of that term.

Most of the talk radio hosts I’ve heard have referred to the Obama/Solyndra scandal as a pure example of ‘crony capitalism’.  I’m offended by that usage, because what Obama has done there is not a bastardization of Capitalism, but the implementation of something far more sinister.

One thing the Left has done, is to hijack our language and set their own terms of definement; “Investments’ now refer to tax increases.  “Terrorists and racists” refers to Conservative Americans and so on.

So the talk radio hosts, from Rush Limbaugh, to my hero Mark Levin – have made reference to this Solyndra scandal as ‘crony capitalism’.  Even Sarah Palin made the remark that the Obama regime is “Crony Capitalism on Steroids”.

I beg to disagree, what Obama is doing- is not ‘crony capitalism’.  Doing so suggests that Capitalism in itself is an easily bastardized and manipulated system, and it’s what gives fuel to those who suggest America’s very foundation was founded on a flawed system.  The Solyndra scandal, and everything from the nationalization of GM to ObamaCare  is Fascist Sovietism or Crony Socialism if you like.  It has NOTHING to do with Capitalism, or free markets.  It’s a version of Chicagoland graft and kickbacks but with an insidious twist: the institutionalized implementation of Fascism melded with attributes of raw Socialist Sovietism.

And it’s in the open.  Hiding in plain sight, in-our-faces.  Not even the Chicago Union mobs are as brazen about their corruption as Obama’s regime is demonstrating.

Because they don’t care.  It’s not about corruption anymore.

This is about the transformation of our entire society.

Because this is about a revolution to bury our society.  To take over and dictate that this is how business is done and handled by government dictat.

Want to keep your company?  Better play Obama’s game and contribute to his regime – or you will end up like Gibson Guitars.

And Obama has waged it in plain view, and brazenly.

He has implemented, with our consent and some mild opposition – Fascism under the usual Marxist guises of fairness, security, global warming, and Social Justice.

Now – the main fact of the Solyndra scandal that the media will not report is this:

Solyndra ‘Green’ Executives: $100,000+ In Obama Donations And 20+ White House Trips

That’s how Soviet-styled Fascism works.  Obama TAKES taxpayer funds, to give it to those who support HIS campaign and WALA!  Free White House lodging, and a Politburo using Alphabet agencies furiously to destroy all the industries Obama has targeted to be replaced.  Made in USA companies that do not donate to Democrats – wiped out, while those who contribute to the Party are protected. Cheap, efficient energy sources in the country forced into bankruptcy so as to force us all into solar and wind power by dictate of the state.  I don’t know how you get crony Capitalism out of that.  That’s raw Soviet Fascism on parade.

As SadHill News points out:

Receive sensationalism laced with carefully selected talking points that mask giant government takeover.

Government? This is not government. This is an auction where policy goes to the highest bidder:

…As TheDC previously reported, Solyndra officials, including Kaiser himself, donated hundreds of thousands of dollars to Barack Obama.

This is all just the tip of the iceberg of what many Conservatives are erringly calling ‘crony Capitalism’ when it is nothing of the sort. This is life behind the Iron Curtain, under the oppressive thumb of Soviet-styled Marxists using the Mussolini Fascism model to achieve the fundamental transformation of America that Obama was talking about from the beginning.

We just did not believe it could happen here.

Culture of Corruption – “Everyone Loves a Bribe, and Runs After Gifts”

 

Everyone Loves A Bribe, and Runs After Gifts

By Rev. Peter Marshall

I’m worried about my country.

The corruption in our political life is just massive. And I have no doubt that it is just as bad in the business world. Now, you might want to respond that it has always been like this, that the world is always a corrupt place, and what do you expect, etc. But, I’m sorry, I just can’t buy that. In my view, there is more blatant corruption in the body politic than I can ever remember in my lifetime.

The latest and most egregious example is the sickening spectacle of Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich trying to literally sell Barack Obama’s now vacant U.S. Senate seat to the highest bidder. Blagojevich has been under Federal investigation for at least three years for alleged hiring fraud, and U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald read profanity-laced quotes from the Governor’s phone conversations that left no doubt about the his corruption. “I’ve got this thing (the opportunity to appoint a Democrat Senator to take Obama’s place) and it’s (expletive) golden, and I’m just not giving it up for (expletive) nothing. I’m not gonna do it.” The FBI’s evidence indicated that overheard phone conversations revealed that what the Governor had in mind was selling the Senate seat for half-million or million dollar campaign contributions, or $250-300,000 jobs for himself, or comparable paying jobs for his real estate agent wife, Patti. In political parlance, it’s called “pay to play.” If you want to have influence in Illinois politics, you have to cough up the cash. “I want to make money,” said the Governor, whose salary is $177,412. Apparently, that’s not money as far as he’s concerned.

The authorities making the announcement of the arrest to the press said that Blagojevich was hoping to raise $2.5 million by the end of the year, and had decided to speed up his “crime spree” before a state anti-corruption law takes effect on January 1.  

I have written several times this year about the corruption of Chicago politics, which in the entire U.S. comes in second only to Louisiana politics. But this latest example is so brazen, so openly and defiantly corrupt that it boggles the mind. Ironically, Blagojevich had campaigned for the Governor’s office back in 2002 on a platform of cleaning up the corruption of his predecessor, George Ryan, who is serving a six year prison sentence for graft. His approval rating with the voters had become a horrendous 13 percent, but undeterred by this, he had talked of rehabilitating his image by appointing himself to the vacant Senate seat, and even had the consummate gall to talk about running for President in 2116. The only small bump in his road is a set of Federal charges of conspiracy to commit fraud and solicitation to commit bribery, which carry maximum prison penalties of 20 years and 10 years respectively.

His Chief of Staff, John Harris, was arrested with Blagojevich, and charged with taking part in the Governor’s schemes. Meanwhile, all Illinois politicians are running away from the Governor like rats fleeing the light. Cries of “resign, resign” are being heard in the land of Lincoln, while U.S. District Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald avowed that this corruption would make Lincoln “roll in his grave.”

Emmanuel Rahm, Obama’s Chief of Staff, had said earlier in response to a reporter’s question, that Obama had talked with Governor Blagojevich about possible appointees to the Senate seat, but after Obama said yesterday that he had had no contact with the Governor lately, Rahm quickly backtracked and said that he had been mistaken in what he had said. Yeah, right.

Do I think that Obama is involved in any of Blagojevich’s corruption? Probably not. He would have had to have been stupid beyond belief to have allowed himself to be tainted with the open corruption of a man known by everybody to be under Federal investigation. But, as I have said before in these commentaries, you cannot possibly have risen to the level that Obama achieved in Illinois politics without having played the corruption game to a certain extent, at least. I suspect that there is a lot of dirty linen in Obama’s closet (just as there was in Bill Clinton’s from his Arkansas Governor days), but whether it will ever see the light of day is doubtful.

Meanwhile, Governor Blagojevich gave no indication that he was about to resign, or even thinking about it. He dispatched his spokesperson, Kelley Quinn, to announce that he was going about “business as usual.” Since his usual business seems to have been corruption, I suppose we should infer from that he’s still trying to sell favors, before the Feds put him away in the slammer.

In today’s Cape Cod paper it is reported that new charges have been brought in an ongoing Federal probe of corruption at the Massachusetts Statehouse and Boston’s City Hall. Massachusetts State Senator Diane Wilkerson has pleaded not guilty to a new indictment of eight counts of attempted extortion and one count of conspiracy. In October, after an eighteen-month investigation by the FBI, she was arrested and charged with taking up to $23,000 in bribes to help the Roxbury nightclub Dejavu get a liquor license. The Bureau released a video tape of Wilkerson stuffing into her bra a wad of bribery money that she had just been handed by an FBI informant.

In the same paper I read today that Providence, RI, Mayor David Cicilline’s brother had written a bad check to the city for $75,000 on behalf of a client who owed tax money. Though the Mayor has not been charged with anything, everyone in New England knows perfectly well that Providence politics has been quite dirty as long as anyone can remember – controlled in the past for many, many years by the Mob. Perhaps it still is.

Charlie Rangel (Democrat-NY), the embattled Chairman of the powerful House Ways and Means Committee is facing mounting allegations of corruption. The House Ethics Committee, which is usually passive and has to be goaded into action, has announced recently that it is broadening its investigation into the Congressman’s dealings. These have  included, among other things, using Congressional letterhead to solicit money for his Charles B. Rangel Center for Public Service at City College of New York, failure to pay taxes or disclose income from a $75,000 Dominican villa on which he had an interest-free mortgage, his use of rent-controlled apartments in Harlem at sub-standard rates, and the possibility that he helped to preserve a lucrative off-shore tax loophole for an oil drilling executive.

It isn’t only Democrats. Corruption and rottenness are equal opportunity employers. U.S. Senator Larry Craig (Republican-MN) has lost his attempt to withdraw his 2007 guilty plea to disorderly conduct after being arrested in a sting operation at a St. Paul International Airport men’s room. Sgt. Dave Karsnia, the arresting officer, indicated that Craig was attempting to solicit a homosexual encounter. Craig claims that he is innocent, and considering an appeal. But, it appears likely that his original plea was the truth.

It is worthy of note that the Boston Phoenix and other blogs have been keeping track of the 2008 incidents of corruption that involve Democrats. Apparently, the count is now in the mid 90’s, and could possible break 100 before year’s end.

However, the fact that so many corrupt Democrats are being exposed is certainly not anything that Republicans or conservatives can rejoice in, even though the exposure involving Democrats probably outnumbers Republican miscreants ten to one.

For myself, I cannot even muster up anger about it – I find myself filled with a great sadness. Our once proud nation has sunk to a new low in corruption throughout the political process, it seems to me.

What shall we say to all of this? I think these passages of Holy Scripture speak very plainly to our situation: Amos 5:12-16 and Isaiah 1:21-28:

“For I know how many are your transgressions, and how great are your sins – you who afflict the righteous, who take a bribe, and turn aside the needy in the gate. Therefore he who is prudent will keep silent in such a time, for it is an evil time. Seek good, and not evil, that you may live; and so the Lord, the God of hosts, will be with you, as you have said. Hate evil, and love good, and establish justice in the gate; it may be that the Lord, the God of hosts, will be gracious to the remnant of Joseph.

“How the faithful city has become a whore, she who was full of justice! Righteousness lodged in her, but now murderers. Your silver has become dross, your best wine mixed with water. Your princes are rebels and companions of thieves. Everyone loves a bribe and runs after gifts. They do not bring justice to the fatherless, and the widow’s cause does not come to them. Therefore the Lord declares, the Lord of hosts, the Mighty One of Israel: ‘Ah, I will get relief from my enemies and avenge myself on my foes. I will turn my hand against you and will smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy. And I will restore your judges as at the first, and your counselors as at the beginning. Afterward you shall be called the city of righteousness, the faithful city.’ Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness. But rebels and sinners shall be broken together, and those who forsake the Lord shall be consumed.”

A few comments on these passages: In the Amos passage, the verse on the prudent keeping silence does not mean that we Christians are not to speak out about the corruption and evil of our time. What it means, in my view, is that we must cease all boastful, proud, vain, self-righteous, frivolous or careless speech, and watch very carefully what claims we make about ourselves. Further, to hate evil, love good, and work to establish justice in all our dealings (and for others) should be the focus of our lives, as we seek to serve the Lord Jesus. It is an evil time, and we must be sure that we are using our days wisely in the service of God’s Kingdom.

The Isaiah passage speaks strongly to the issue of corruption – that is what the verse about the silver having become dross and the wine having been mixed with water means. The precious metal has become impure, and the pure wine has become diluted. There is no moral purity.

But, the Lord promises that He will purify, when He says that He will “smelt away your dross as with lye and remove all your alloy.” Note that removing alloy is done by fire, which is not a pleasant experience to go through. Yet, I believe that is what has started to happen to America. God is determined to purify American society, and I believe that the exposure of these recent scandals is but the beginnings. There will be more to come, and it will reach into other areas of our society beyond politics.

The redeeming grace in it all, and what brings me hope, is that it is the Lord who is in charge of the whole process. A just and merciful God is wielding the broom, and for that I am thankful.

And lastly, there is a promise that there will be an end to it, an end that will bring justice and righteousness: “Zion shall be redeemed by justice, and those in her who repent, by righteousness.” Notice that His righteousness will redeem “those who repent,” so let us be sure that we come to repentance about any sins in our own lives that we read about in the newspapers or hear about on TV. 

(More at Link)

Fannie Mae CEO Calling Obama/Democrats “Family” and “Conscience”

 

CORRUPTION EXPOSED from 2005:

Explosive CEO calling Obama and Dems the “Family” “Conscience” of Fannie Mae

The Banking Failures are because of the Housing Crisis, which was caused by mortgage lenders handing out bad loans and the biggest offenders: Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac

The Democrats have been taking PAYOFFS from Fannie and Freddie to look the other way FOR DECADES!

NOW VIDEO FOUND of the CEO of Fannie Mae in 2005 explaining the “FAMILY” connection with Democrats

 

And specifically Barack Obama and the Congressional Black Caucus