If you've somehow missed the photograph of the President of the United States making a nearly 90-degree bow to the Japanese emperor,  look here on Politico and also read what his administration is saying about it.

 

According to this article, White House aides say everything he's doing is deliberate and is an effort to "(give) America a less belligerent posture abroad." Puh-lease. I think that bow was a little overkill. My mother thought I had bad posture!

 

He told students in Shanghai that "we have to have some modesty about our attitudes towards other countries." I'd like to see a little of that deference offered towards the electorate in his own country, like the majority of us that don't want the kind of healthcare reform that the Dems are offering.

 

Our President seems to believe that his very handshake has the ability to transform oppressive leaders. (See page 2.)

There's a new bumpersticker out. "Pray for Obama, Psalm 109:8." I love it.

 

What are the chances of impeachment before they destroy the country?

 

A CIO of a hedge fund, Damon Vickers, recently talked about the possibilities of a global currency and global government on CNBC. Watch a short clip and read a short Motley Fool column about it here. I think Vickers is going to be on Glenn Beck's TV show this afternoon. (Glenn Beck--one of the few reasons I wish we'd spring for cable.)

 

Addendum: WARNING--THIS IS WAY LONGER THAN THE ORIGINAL POST WHICH REMAINS IN ITS ENTIRETY)

 

A Christian brother pointed out to me that Psalm 109:8, which I found an appropriate prayer for the present administration, is followed by verse 9 which isn’t. Although I tried to separate the two verses—by linking only to the first one and addressing impeachment as a way out of the craziness in Washington, I’d like to make myself clearer on the subject.

I never ever support any kind of murder (which some might suggest that verse 9 could lead to)—not of bad drivers, bad parents, bad spouses, bad children, and, no, not even of abortionists and bad politicians. (I do, however, think that it might be time for tarring and feathering to make a comeback.)

Psalm 109 was one of the many psalms written by David, the second king of Israel. He was the ultimate cool guy—killer of lions, and giants, and bears and winner of many battles. Although known as a man after God’s own heart, he led a less than stellar life. In other words, the story of David gives me a lot of hope!

He had a lot of enemies. In fact, he apparently wasn’t even that popular at family gatherings, as his own father-in-law (King Saul) and, later, his own son (Absalom) wanted to kill him. In Psalm 109, he’s talking to God about his enemies, something I’ve done a time or two myself.

I think it’s called an imprecatory prayer. He was asking God to take revenge on his behalf.

At the time of the 2008 election, I was doing a lot of reading in the Old Testament. In I Samuel 8, the Israelites were tired of having judges (long story—Samuel, like Eli before him, hadn’t done a very good job of raising his sons.). They demanded a king like everyone else had. Samuel warned them that a king would take their children as servants, their property, and a tenth of what they produced. (Huh. Sounds like they’d be paying a lot less in taxes than we do!)

It was I Samuel 12:14 that really set me back on my heels: “If you will fear the Lord and serve Him and obey His voice and not rebel against the commandment of the Lord, then shall both you and also the king that reigns over you continue following the Lord your God.”

That, combined with II Chronicles 7:14 (“If my people, which are called by my name, shall humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin, and will heal their land.”) and a lot of other verses (He removes kings and sets up kings…Daniel 2:21; the most High rules in the kingdom of men and gives it to whomsoever he will and sets up over it the basest of men…Daniel 4:17; the king’s heart is in the hand of the Lord, as the rivers of water. He turns it whithersoever He will. Proverbs 21:1) tells me that this President has been put in this position, at this time, for God’s reason.

I believe President Obama could learn a thing or two about humility from the story of Nebuchadnezzar in Daniel 4. If at some time we learn what we were supposed to from this presidency, God will be just the One to teach him.

No, I have no plans to get a “Pray for Obama, Psalm 109:8” bumper sticker. There's not enough room for the fine print to explain my feelings on the situation.

 

 

 

Only 40 shopping days until Christmas. Are you ready? Me neither.

 

We are so lucky, though. The Speaker of the House, head granny of the nanny state, is taking care of Christmas, too! Watch the video here: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MiBaMPdQvLw

 

The latest Rasmussen poll results I found (November 7-8) show that a majority of Americans don't want the Dem's gift by a 52 to 45 margin. Forty-two percent are strongly opposed and only 25 strongly approve. (See the poll here: http://www.rasmussenreports.com/public_content/politics/current_events/healthcare/september_2009/health_care_reform)

 

Okay, I've gotten Christmas gifts I didn't want before. I remember one year in particular. I wanted Levis for Christmas; my maiden aunt got me a pair of nasty stretch-denim jeans with a side zipper. I'm embarrassed to admit this, but I cried.

 

Most Christmas presents can be returned if they are the wrong size or color or just plain the wrong gift.

 

What's the return policy if the Dems give us health care?

 

 

Remember the good old days? Back in August we were moaning about the 1017 page monstrosity that House Democrats were pitching. Now their plan to take over the healthcare system has swollen to a whopping 1990 pages. I can't wait for that movie to come out! (And so much for saving trees.)

 

The original Social Security Act took up 30 pages (And showed a government take totaling 6% from employer and employee. There's a reason we refer to the past as the good old days!); I could have printed the 1956 Federal-Aid Highway Act in 32 pages.

 

Since no one has the time to actually print, much less read, that many pages, here's some help from the GOP in the form of a reading guide to the Affordable Health Care for America Act. (Affordable. Yeah, right.)

http://www.gop.gov/policy-news/09/10/29/reading-guide--pelosi Go to it and then download the act to check the points. (Good luck with that if you have dial-up.)

 

You will notice that there is indeed abortion in the bill. Considering the present makeup of Congress and the President's whole-hearted support of abortion which can be seen here in this answer to a question at a Planned Parenthood meeting (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H9CCpvj690A&feature=player_embedded), what do you think the chances are of the Hyde Amendment surviving its next vote?

 

I don't see any sign of elective plastic surgery in the bill. That would really be tough for the Speaker of the House. Oh, except for the fact that she won't be in the plan anyway. Page 225, section 330 says "Members of Congress may enroll in the public health insurance option." Probably the loneliest place to be in the Capitol Building would be at the table marked "Sign up for your public health insurance option here." It would be kind of like being the Maytag repairman in those old TV commercials.

 

Page 303 left me scratching my head. (Well, actually most of the bill did.) Lines 6 and 10 talk about "section 100(c) of the ." It appears they've left a word out. Can we make that into a court case against it?

 

Oh, you'll love this, too: Health plans are required to make their disclosures in plain language (pp. 121-122), readily understandable even to those with limited English proficiency. Somehow that reminds me of the Treasury Secretary who cheated on his taxes but was then gung ho to go after those who cheated on their taxes.

 

There are several reference to limited English proficiency. If you need to raise your blood pressure, refer to pp. 613-636. If you suffer from high blood pressure, forget I mentioned it.

 

In case you're convinced that the whole world has gone mad and the disease is spreading from the direction of Washington, check out this youtube video http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G44NCvNDLfc. This statement was made back in July by Michigan Representative Mike Rogers. It's good to know there are a few pockets of sanity remaining in government. As my former pastor's wife used to say: May his tribe increase.