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The Patriot Post Brief 9-23
From The Federalist Patriot
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____________________________ OPINION IN BRIEF"The teaching establishment and politicians have hoodwinked taxpayers into believing that more money is needed to improve education. The Washington, D.C., school budget is about the nation's costliest, spending about $15,000 per pupil. Its student/teacher ratio, at 15.2 to 1, is lower than the nation's average. Yet student achievement is just about the lowest in the nation. What's so callous about the Washington situation is about 1,700 children in kindergarten through 12th grade receive the $7,500 annual scholarships in order to escape rotten D.C. public schools, and four times as many apply for the scholarships, yet Congress, beholden to the education establishment, will end funding the school voucher program. Any long-term solution to our education problems requires the decentralization that can come from competition. Centralization has been massive. In 1930, there were 119,000 school districts across the U.S; today, there are less than 15,000. Control has moved from local communities to the school district, to the state, and to the federal government. Public education has become a highly centralized government-backed monopoly and we shouldn't be surprised by the results." --George Mason University economics professor Walter E. Williams
THE GIPPER"Those who have never broken free from the mentality of tax-and-tax and spend-and-spend still think increasing taxes is the best way to solve America's problems. ... We need a tax policy that offers incentives for people to work, save, and invest -- all the things that will keep our economy growing and improve our well being. We need a basic tax reform that will permit us to bring everybody's tax rates down. ... Our country needs leadership that can see beyond the demands of the special interest groups and prepare America for a better tomorrow." --Ronald Reagan
GOVERNMENT"Despite disclaimers from President Obama that the government doesn't want to be in the car business, it is hard to see what it has bought with our tax dollars other than two of what used to be known as 'the big three.' Government by default or determination will choose the types of cars the companies it owns will make. Government will buy a lot of them because not enough customers will unless they are made offers they can't refuse, not by a car salesman in a loud sport coat, but by a government bureaucrat in a suit. ... The customers, who once were always right, have been cheated. All one has to do is look at government-made cars to see they are about as attractive as government art, government architecture, or many other things government does poorly. The Skoda (when the Czechoslovakia communist party made them -- they're nice now thanks to free market capitalism) had its own jokes: 'How much is a Skoda worth with a full tank of gas?' Answer: 'Twice as much.' East Germany's Trabant, a major polluter, was little more than a two-cycle engine encased in the thinnest veneer and the old Soviet Union cars were about as appealing as a Siberian winter. These are the kinds of cars governments have produced." --columnist Cal Thomas
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR(To submit reader comments visit our Letters to the Editor page.)
"Thank you for Mark Alexander's essay, Obama's 'Peace for Our Time'. Obama's actions and rhetoric were offensive to me and should be to all freedom-loving Americans. This man consistently lambasts America as a bully, an initiator of war instead of the saving grace for Europe -- not once but twice -- the defender of Muslims around the world and the one country who is always the first to offer assistance when a natural disaster occurs. This man hates America and he is a purveyor of destruction for America." --McDonough, Georgia
"'Difficult days lie ahead. More jobs will be lost. More plants will close. More dealerships will shut their doors and so will many parts suppliers. But I want you to know that what you're doing is making a sacrifice for the next generation.' --Barack Obama. Not quite, Barack. What you're actually doing is forcing this generation to make a sacrifice of the next one. And the next, and the next..." --Wheaton, Illinois
"Friday's Digest mentioned Judge Frank Easterbrook of the Seventh Circuit Court thinking that the Second Amendment to the Constitution does not apply to individual states. Perhaps the Honorable Judge Easterbrook would like to have Illinois cede from the Union and repay the federal coffers all of the money sent there over the years. They could have their own defense department, and fund all of the parks, roads and infrastructure themselves. Recall the state's congressmen sent to Washington, since they obviously are not needed due to the failure of the federal laws having any jurisdiction over states. Good luck Your Honor!" --Cutlerville, Michigan
Publisher's Note: On Thursday, millions of Americans received a propaganda e-mail from the White House promoting Obama's address to the "Islamic World."
The message began, "Hello, As a Senior Advisor to the President, I'm here in Cairo, Egypt where I watched President Obama deliver an unprecedented speech calling for a new beginning for the United States and Muslim communities around the world."
The message was signed,
Thank you,
David Axelrod
Senior Advisor to the PresidentSome of our readers, and countless others, are questioning how the White House obtained their e-mail address. Some of these readers have written the White House previously about various issues, but none have authorized the use of their e-mail address by the Obama administration for list distribution, which is to say, the administration is in violation of federal law. The Patriot has inquired with the White House in regard to several specific receipts, and we will let you know how they respond.
THE LAST WORD"'You are there.' The rotunda of the U.S. Capitol, that great, sandstone-walled, light-filled hall ringed with statues of the great of American history -- Jefferson, Washington, proud Andrew Jackson in his flowing cape, Eisenhower, U.S. Grant, his eyes surveying the terrain as if he sees something out there in the wilderness. It's 11 a.m. Wednesday, June 3, 2009, and Ronald Reagan marches in, surrounded by his peers. Actually his newly installed statue is unveiled there, in a ceremony attended by officials of both parties (including the speaker of the House and the leaders of the minority), his wife, Nancy, and a few hundred of his friends, appointees, staffers and cabinet members. It was standing room only. The mood: mellow, proud and modest with the increased modesty of age. 'How lucky was I to walk into history when Ronald Reagan was in the room?' The speeches ranged from the heartfelt to the appropriate, with two (James Baker and Mrs. Reagan) being outstanding. It is usual, after formal ceremonies with their frozen rhetoric, to come away feeling that no cliché was left untouched. In some cases here they were quite thoroughly molested, but no matter. The general feeling was that Ronald Reagan restored America to itself, and that's what people more or less said. It was a great day..." --columnist and former Reagan assistant Peggy Noonan
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Veritas vos Liberabit -- Semper Vigilo, Fortis, Paratus, et Fidelis! Mark Alexander, Publisher, for The Patriot's editors and staff.
(Please pray for our Patriot Armed Forces standing in harm's way around the world, and for their families -- especially families of those fallen Soldiers, Sailors, Airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen, who granted their lives in defense of American liberty.)
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