Kennedy: “Did President Kennedy get his words mixed up?”

One of the most remembered quotes from the JFK Presidency was delivered during his inaugural speech on

January 20, 1961, when he said:

“Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can
do for your country.”

With total respect for President John F Kennedy, did he get his wording wrong? Shouldn't he have said?

“Ask not what you can do for your country, but what your country can do for you.”

I’m sure someone will point out my disrespect, one day after the 50th anniversary of his assassination, but I've always had a question about the meaning of his words. Granted, I’m just an amateur and should not presume to grasp the meaning of such lofty words.

Nevertheless, this famous quote from President Kennedy contradicts another famous saying I've heard over and over, all my life. Putting it simply:

“By the People, for the People.”

In my mind this means we have a government made up of everyday citizens and our government is for the people. The key words being, “For the People.” Sorry folks! In America, people are not for the government's pleasure.

Almost exclusively, the history of mankind and its various forms of governments, emphasized the people lived for the benefit of the government. Monarchy forms of government always considered the serfs sole purpose in life was to serve the anointed “Royal Ones.” In Egypt the Pharaohs were thought to be Gods and the “lowly worms” of society had only one function in life, serve the Pharaohs.

As the New World (America) was discovered and founded, Royalty ruled the foremost powers of the world. Monarchies caused the peasants to seek respect, freedom of religion and to have a say in how they were to be governed. They fled Europe and came to the New World.

Over a period of time, a new idea, unknown for most of man’s history, began to emerge in American philosophy. The world’s establishment always considered people existed for the elite few. During the founding of the United States, we Americans threw everything out the window and said, “Government is For the People.”

This was an entirely unknown concept in the world as America came into existence. Royalty, petty dictators, authoritarians and supremacists of all flavors shrieked but the idea “Government is For the People” swept the world and ignited the dreams of people worldwide, who had suffered from the old philosophy most of mankind’s history.

Now we come full circle and the nation pauses to remember one of the greatest Presidents in American history. Even Republicans paused for a moment and stopped all their name calling to honor one of America’s Democrats. The conspicuous silence from the “Tea Naggers” was welcome relief even if it lasted for just a

short time. There was one “Tea Nagger” trying to claim Kennedy was a conservative but as usual, the “Tea Nagger” was dead wrong. Kennedy outwardly declared himself a Liberal.

Much has been said about President Kennedy’s statement, “Ask what you can do for your country.” However, as Whoopi Goldberg said, “Is It Just Me?” Why did everyone clap when he said those words? His words are contrary to an idea separating us from the rest of the world since our founding.

Now I sound like a "Nagger" but I just have to ask. “Did President Kennedy get his words mixed up?”

No Such Thing As States Rights! Sedition and Insurrection In The Air!

If a state nullifies Federal Law or secedes from the Union, would President Obama or Hillary Clinton be strong enough to save the Union as Abraham Lincoln did? 

I'm not sure about those two. However, I think Elizabeth Warren has the guts. Elizabeth is looking good right now.Ted Cruz would let a state secede because he's no Lincoln.

I've always maintained there’s no such thing as States Rights. At any given time the Federal

Government can pass a law and under the "Supremacy Clause" Federal Law overrides State Law at all times. Anyone casting a vote in a state legislative body endeavoring to nullify Federal Law is committing an act of sedition and should be removed from office.

The belief, States Rights include the capability of a state to nullify Federal Law or even secede from the Union, is nonsense and doesn't exist in our Constitution. Nor has the Supreme Court ever acknowledged the right of a state to embark on any course nullifying Federal Law or seceding from the Union.

In this day and age it’s important all civil liberties are enforced in a uniform manner across our
nation. Can you imagine the complications if individual states defined what "Freedom of Speech" means? All of our Civil Liberties should be protected equally from one corner of the America to the next. States can’t be allowed to interpret what Civil Liberties are within its borders.

The uniform application of Federal law is equally important for our Penumbra (shadow) rights. Choice, Privacy and Association fall into this category. Those words (Choice, Privacy and Association) do not appear in the written Constitution, yet we all consider our choices to be private and who we associate with being our business and not the governments. There are exceptions of course but for the most part we hold these Penumbra (shadow) rights to be sacred.

I maintain these three Penumbra's cover Gay Rights, Health Care and Abortion. States cannot be allowed to individually interpret what these rights are. States are not allowed to interpret our Bill of Rights or any other Amendment to the Constitution. Individuals moving from state to state have a reasonable expectation their Civil Liberties will be applied equally no matter what state they live in.

Once a Federal Law has been enacted, states cannot interpret Federal Law and apply the Law

differently from one state to another. States can’t nullify Federal Law at any time. States can’t deny the protections afforded its citizens granted by the Federal Government (Equal Protection Clause). States can’t selectively deny Civil Liberties to its citizens when those same Civil Liberties are granted to other residents in other states because of Federal Law.

Furthermore, any State Legislative body voting to nullify Federal Law which diminishes the rights of its citizens, protected under Federal Law, is an act of sedition. This includes individuals, regardless of Party. This, from the Sedition Act. It is also in the “Equal Protection” clause of the 14th Amendment.

All elected officials take the "Oath of Allegiance" and they are obligated to defend the Constitution from all enemies foreign and domestic which includes adhering too and protecting the "Supremacy Clause". Breaking the “Oath of Allegiance” is grounds for removing the elected official from office under the 14th Amendment, Paragraph Three.

Any elected official having taken the "Oath of Allegiance” who openly encourages nullifying Federal Law is Inciting Insurrection and is an enemy of the state. Any elected official casting an affirmative vote to nullify Federal Law has broken their “Oath of Allegiance” to defend the Constitution of the United States. They should be removed from office by force if necessary. Rick Perry, Ron Paul, Ted Cruz, etc., etc., listen up!

The Supremacy Clause eliminates States Rights at every turn in our national history. In this day and age, the uniform integrity of the United States is paramount not only for the continued existence of this nation but for the stability of the world.

Individual states can’t spin off and become their own nations with their own laws. States cannot interpret Federal Law and violate the Civil Liberties of residents residing within their state borders. Again, the "Equal Protection Clause".

Modern day Confederates can't be allowed to destroy the integrity of our nation. Prior to our Civil War, Abraham Lincoln didn’t have the tools we have today to stop the catastrophe which engulfed America long ago. Today, the tools are in place. Only question is, does anyone have the guts to stop these new age Confederate Traitors?

Start Bragging! Democrats Were Right.

The Verdict Is In! Historical Evidence Recorded! Facts Substantiated!

The Democrats were right when they opposed everything the Republicans did during the Bush Administration. Don't apologize to anyone if you are a Democrat and a Liberal. 

One of my early videos.

This is not the time to be polite. Don't be afraid to claim your moral correctness. Being friendly to the Tea Nagging Republican Party will accomplish nothing. You can't talk to those people. If President Obama were to be judged in the future about his greatest mistake it would be he tried to negotiate and talk to the New Confederate traitors in our midst. He has failed this endeavor. They stabbed him in the back.

Our nation is at a crossroads. Nullification and Secession  is in the wind. Republicans are actively trying to dismantle our government, restrict voting rights, deny Civil Liberties and our Penumbra Rights of Choice, Privacy and Association are under attack.

Corporations have developed a unique version of American Fascism. They dominate our government and convince politicians to pass laws benefiting the darkest elements of our society. The American people are being reduced to the status of Chinese slave laborers in order to increase profits.

There are Blue Dog Democrats in our midst and they need to be purged from the only party capable of resisting the forces Fascism, Greed, Selfishness and Authoritarianism.

We are at a crossroads. Time for negotiation is over. Jesus and our founding fathers were Liberals. Stand

up, be proud because you are in good company. You will never convince these New Confederate Traitors to see things your way. You're going to have to stick to your principles and force your views down their throats. You have to keep voting them out at the polls until they get the message.

The Democrats were right. History has proven us right. They are wrong. Trying to appease them is dangerous for our nation. Stand up! Fight! Fight! Fight for our nation!

Visit my Web Page at: http://www.graphicsports.us/index.html
Free You Tube video stages. Free GPS POI's for Garmin and Streets & Trips

Visit my Blog. Read some stories. http://democraticvision.blogspot.com/

Visit my full You Tube Channel at: http://www.youtube.com/user/rufusmucus?feature=mhee

Please use the comments to demonstrate your own ignorance, unfamiliarity with empirical data, ability to repeat discredited memes, and lack of respect for scientific knowledge. Also, be sure to create straw men and argue against things I have neither said nor even implied. Any irrelevancies you can mention will also be appreciated. Lastly, kindly forgo all civility in your discourse . . . you are, after all, anonymous.

Not Blaming Republican Lies Is Disingenuous

The following is my reply to a comment made on my Blog. The individual making the comment seemed to be all upset about Obama's omission while totally ignoring the coordinated attack by Elected Republican officials making up dozens of lies about the ACA going back before the law was even passed.

Trying to get through all your nonsense was a real chore. I guess you're all cranked up about a communication error and you want to scrap the whole law. Perhaps you want to impeach the President. Maybe you want to go back to the way things were and make sure 50 million Americans don't have insurance.

Did you like the Healthcare Industry before the ACA was passed? I had a family member die because they had a pre-existing condition, insurance wouldn't pay, and doctors just let him wither away. It left a bitter taste for my whole family. I hope it doesn't happen to you.

Truth is, in comparison to Obama's white lie, the Entire Republican Party has been telling the biggest pack of lies about the ACA going back before the law was passed. Elected Republican officials lying through their teeth about the ACA, coordinating their lies, and saying them over and over again until uninformed people start believing the lies.

I didn't see anything in your silly comment on about all the good things happening under the ACA. I didn't see you mention all the lies the Republicans are telling. Why are you focusing your wrath on a man who is just trying to help millions of Americans? Is that his real crime? He's trying to do something good for fellow American citizens. I don't get it. What are you trying to say?

Here's a link to an interesting article. Read it.
http://www.salon.com/2013/11/07/a_petty_rant_republicans_are_the_real_lying_liars_on_obamacare

Wake Up! President Obama Didn't Lie!

Obama Is Not The Villain. 

The following is a response to a very intelligent woman who commented on a previous blog I had written. She wanted to make the point that being overly zealous for one party or one man is not good and I should look at Republicans as well. Here’s my response.

I'm a lot like you. I would support a Republican if one can be found. There isn't a single Republican that comes even close to the values I hold true today. Let me clarify. No Republican leader is worth looking at for the moment. I have probably voted equally for both parties through my life.

The latest media darling is Chris Christie. What has he done? He hugged Obama and that's it. Look closely at what he's supports and it turns out he's the same old austerity, gun toting, hate the government conservative all the others are. He has completely mismanaged the hurricane relief effort in New Jersey.

Christie is not our knight in shining armor.

The difficulty with Obama's insurance statement is that he was referring to the majority of people (85%) with insurance which met the new standards of the ACA. If those people are dumb enough to keep their existing policies, then so be it. However, over time, many would switch to the new exchanges for price alone. Not to mention better coverage.

Obama is guilty of not making clear to a bunch of uninformed people, their junk insurance policies would have to be replaced. If they stayed with their current carrier, they would have to pay more in order to meet the new standards. Or, they could go on the exchanges and get a better deal.

Less than 5% of people covered by insurance are affected and that's because they were sold junk policies which can't measure up to the new ACA standards. In many ways, holders of junk policies are not covered.

They won’t find out how bad their policy is until they need it.

There's a story yesterday about how the insurance companies are miffed by the Obama administration when they were alerting everyone two years ago that those junk policies would have to be cancelled and new policies issued, at higher cost, in order to meet the new standards. They were alerting the public. Remember?

Letters were sent to their policyholders. Stories in the news covered the subject. Remember? I do. The remedy (two years ago) for holders of junk insurance policies would be to go on the exchanges, get a better policy for less money and be better off.

All this stuff about cancelled policies is old news and everyone concerned was notified and alerted. I'm pretty stupid and I knew what was coming. People with junk policies are being disingenuous if they cry now. They knew. Shut up and get a better deal. Quit trying to blame Obama for your ignorance.

Many people have become victims of Republican propaganda. Republicans are blindly going against a health

policy they once supported just to be against it. Republican obstructionism will harm millions of Americans and they don't care. Their party universally supports harming our country and opposes someone who is doing nothing more than trying to help the country. Obama is the enemy? Wrong target!

If a Republican will stand up and tell the truth, I would be very interested in that person. There are none to be found. Until then, I will support Democrats to the fullest. They are the only party in this country trying to help people. The other party is actively trying to hurt people.

This is a no brainer people. Digressing to the old health care policies would be a disaster for millions of Americans. All I can say to Republicans is, “quiet down, pitch in and help the country. Stop trying to hurt everyone including yourself. What are you, a bunch of masochists?”

President Obama Looks Tired

The role of President is taking its toll

I Bet He'll

Be Glad When

It's Over

Remember the young man who took office in 2008? He was so full of energy. Filled with hope for our country, sparks seemed to fly off the man. His beautiful wife and children, and the Man, proved to the world how great America is. All Americans exulted in the historical moment President Obama's election meant for the country and for the world. I don't know about all of you but for the first time in a long time my chest stuck out and I raised my head to the heavens thankful for the moment. God Bless America.

George W. Bush took a lot out of me. More than Bush, the Republicans made me become defensive and ashamed for our nation. Who would ever have thought the most beloved, revered and respected nation in the world would invade another country, kill half a million innocent people for nothing, and then brag about it. 

It was mind staggering to ponder my beloved country had become the biggest violator of the Geneva Conventions in the world. Day after day stories and pictures appeared before me of tortured prisoners and murdered civilians. Fellow Americans were torturing people to death!

When I protested, Republicans accused me of being unpatriotic. Republicans made excuses for torture. I was ashamed of our nation and of the Republican Party. They dragged all Americans into the dirt. The Republicans besmirched all Americans.

When it became evident our Vice President and his buddies were getting rich from the phony war and profiteering from death and mayhem I cried out, and Republicans said I didn't love my country. When I said the war would cause massive debt because it was put on a credit card for future children to pay, the Republicans passed more tax cuts and exploded the debt even more.

The Republican Party uniformly demanded, "don't worry, we promise, everything will be alright". They said they knew what they were doing.

By the time President Obama had been elected it had become apparent the Republicans didn't have a clue what they were doing. Still, in the Presidential Campaign of 2012, Republicans tried to tell us we need to follow them once again. Millions of Americans voted to put Republicans back in power despite all the lessons learned from the Bush years. Voting against their own best interests. So disgraceful. 

Fight to the end. We are right!

Looking at the picture above its apparent President Obama has been worn to a frazil. The office has taken a lot out of him.

Mr. President, please remember your cause has been noticed. We still believe in you. Though it will damage your health and your sanity dealing with Republicans, keep up the fight. Your sacrifice will always be remembered. Your time in history will always be revered.

Your cause, our cause is righteous and in the spirit of the great American dream. With the ACA you have improved the lives of millions of Americans in stark contrast to the previous administration. Your efforts have contributed to the common good despite Republican efforts damage our country. God bless you and keep up the good work. We are with you 'till the end.

Jesus Is Not Lord (or is He?)

Jesus Not Lord?

Here you go. If you want to crank people up, talk religion. 

A relatively new Christian faith has risen up in the United States. This religious belief has grown in strength through the years and coincides with the growth of Fundamentalist Christian thought in America. This new religion is made up of many different churches but on the whole, they think Jesus is Lord.

Our nation has periodically experienced Fundamentalism in the past. It gains strength for a while then recedes for a few years only to raise its head again. Other religions experience these attacks as well, so fundamentalist thought is not restricted to Christians.

Currently the Muslim faith is experiencing a resurgence of fundamentalism and it coincides with the rise of Christian Fundamentalism. Historically this combination has always proven deadly. Recent world events has proven this true.

As America was founded and then expanded Westward, Fundamentalist Christians ruled the land. The Church of England was extremely fundamentalist in their thoughts and they drove many people out of Europe for religious reasons. Many of our colonists were persecuted by Fundamentalists in Europe and so they fled to our shores.

The trouble was, in Europe there was a huge battle between fundamentalists in those days. The colonists arriving on our shores were not enlightened liberal minded Christians. They brought with them their fervent belief in Christian Superiority. Many centuries of depicting Jesus in their art as being a blond haired, blue eyed white guy also contributed to their notions of racial superiority.

We see evidence of this Christian Superiority concept with the genocide of Indian Nations across America. The only good Indian was a dead Indian. Blacks weren't considered full human beings even by our enlightened founding fathers when they wrote the Constitution.

Clearly America had a Christian Superiority complex in the old days. There's plenty of evidence to indicate these notions still exist. Dominion Christianity is the new threat. Witness Ted Cruz. That's another op ed for later.

Paulism

What?

Nevertheless, is Jesus Lord? I don't pretend to be some religious scholar but there is enough history on this subject to make one question whether Jesus is Lord or not.

We know that the majority of Christians prior to 328 AD in Europe emphasized Jesus was a prophet. He spoke God's words but he wasn't Lord. We also know that of the twelve Apostles only Paul thought Jesus was God (Lord). The other eleven didn't. Nothing is wrong with thinking Jesus was a prophet. After all, speaking God's word is no small matter.

We also know that Constantinople was the center of the Christian world at that time. The Ecumenical Council of 328 AD in Constantinople declared the Trinity as the new Christian law and from then on that's how Christians have thought. You know, Father, Son and the Holy Ghost. The beliefs of the Apostle Paul overcame 328 years of Christian Doctrine and the beliefs of the other eleven Apostles. Paulism, Jesus is Lord, became the new belief.

More Food For Thought

Don't you love it?

If you believe the Bible, you know that Jesus gave us the Lord’s Prayer. He told us we are to say that prayer every day. The prayer starts off with "Our Father who art in Heaven". The prayer does not tell us to pray to Jesus. Jesus was on Earth when he gave us the prayer. The Father is in Heaven. Two distinctly different entities. The prayer then ends with the words, Amen. Not in Jesus name, but simply Amen. As in Amen to our heavenly Father.

A little later on Jesus is on the Cross. He yells out, "Father, why hast thou forsaken me"? He wasn't talking to himself. Just before he dies he say, "Father forgive them, they know not what they do". Again, he was talking to someone else beside himself.

Yea, yea, yea! I can just hear the attacks coming now. What does he know? Does he have documentation? Is he qualified to say these things? Why is he attacking our religion? Good grief, I can just hear it now.

Get a load of this! Some believe that a false religion will rise up in the end times. Others say that after Satan was cast from Heaven and condemned to rule Hell, Satan's singular goal was to get mankind to worship a false God. Let’s see now. Jesus is a false God and perhaps we are in the end times. Quid pro quo! In America, Christian Fundamentalists are the false religion ruled by Satan. No wonder those Christians are raising so much hell.

How I overcame my PTSD - I stopped Crying

How I overcame Delayed Stress Syndrome (PTSD)

First, a brief history of my Dad. Please, I know it’s boring for some. But, his story is relevant to the story I’m about to tell.

My father was in the Infantry during WWII. He was with the 42^nd Rainbow Division of the US Army and served Infantry combat on the Western front. He experienced the full fury the German Army presented in those dark days.

He was a Ranger with his Division and in those days Ranger’s did a lot of recon ahead of the main

unit. One day, he was pinned down by machine gun fire, surrounded by German SS troops and his whole squad was killed except for him.With that stroke of luck, my other two brothers would be born. Discovery of these events only surfaced long after my mother and father passed away.

After coming home. Click to enlarge.

My Dad was then interrogated (not a pleasant experience) and taken to what became East Germany after the War. He was put into a prisoner of war camp where he was finally liberated by the advancing Russian Army.

Upon going home, my mother was not allowed to see her husband for six months. Dad had been so emaciated by his captivity, the Army wouldn't allow her even a single visit. Without question, my father suffered greatly.

No one knew what he had been through. Click to enlarge.

My mother and father were very close and raised three boys only separating upon the death of one. My father never uttered a single word of his WWII experience the entire time he was alive. Mom, apparently agreed to never say a word either because she was equally silent to the very end. My father was a man in the strictest sense.

Now, about PTSD. When I came back from infantry service in Vietnam, 1967-1968, I was a mess. I remember feeling so sorry for myself. Prior to going into the Army the LA Dodgers were scouting me but when I came home I had lost interest in anything prior to my war in the ‘Nam.

I lived at home with mom and dad for a while and generally pouted and cried myself to sleep. I didn't want to work. I didn't know what I wanted to do and walked around in a daze, day and night. I had bad dreams all the time. By today’s standards I was suffering PTSD.

However, my father came to the rescue. I’ll never forget the day. My dad cornered me in the garage without my mother present, grabbed me by the nap of my shirt and slammed me up against the wall. He told me, “Snap out of it. You’re not the only person to have suffered. Your behavior is not manly. You have your whole life ahead of you and you have an obligation to yourself, your family and your fallen friends, to be all you can be. Stop crying in your beer and man up. Never talk about Vietnam again”.

Then he went to my room, gathered up a couple guns I acquired and took them outside and locked them into the trunk of his car. I never saw those guns again. He went back to my room, gathered up all my war paraphernalia including my military uniform, newspaper clippings of the war and anything else regarding my military service, put it all in a pile in the back yard and poured gasoline on the stuff. He lit a match and everything about the military was gone.

While the fire burned, he turned to me and said, “Quit crying like a baby. Man up and get over it”. He turned away and never said another word about Vietnam, the military or anything else having to do with war.

In retrospect my father may have saved my life. He insulted my manhood and appealed to my pride. He did what no other person could have done. My father, the man, made me become a man like him. It's not enough facing combat in order to call yourself a man.

You have to deal with your demons or the banshees will diminish your manhood for a lifetime. Feeling sorry for yourself degrades the memory of those you left behind and causes your family to disrespect you.

From then on, I never spoke very much about my military experience. Only now, I speak out

That's me on the far left.

because it matters to no one but me. No, I have not healed and whatever I say will make no difference to anything or anyone. Stories like mine have been told for thousands of years all around this planet and no one has ever been able to adequately put into words the experience, including me.   No one cares and no one listens. It’s been 45 years.

However, I can offer a word of advice to all the military crybabies we see from today’s Army and other branches of the service. Compared to other conflicts you have not suffered at all. You are crying too much in your beer. You are feeling sorry for yourself and you dishonor those who gave more than you did. Get off your lazy ass and start contributing something to your family and your country.

Get rid of all that war garbage and come back to living a civilian life. Your military experience was a complete waste of your time and contributed nothing to your future. Never talk about your experiences in the military because it will only seem as though you are seeking attention. Do not seek attention. Do not brag and boast. A man will overcome his experiences and become more than he would have otherwise.

For God’s sake! MAN UP! Quit looking for a free ride. You are not worth a lifetime of payments from the American taxpayer.