Politics is about getting re-elected and nothing else besides. It is a common error to assume that the politician’s role is to create jobs, encourage economic activity, enhance the welfare and well-being of his subjects, preserve the territorial integrity of his country, and fulfill a host of other functions. In truth, the politician has a single and exclusive role: to get re-elected. His primary responsibility is to his party and its members. He owes them patronage: jobs, sinecures, guaranteed income or cash flow, access to the public purse, and the intoxicating wielding of power. His relationship is with his real constituency – the party’s rank and file – and he is accountable to them the same way a CEO (Chief Executive Officer) answers to the corporation’s major shareholders. To make sure that they get re-elected, politicians are sometimes required to implement reforms and policy measures that contribute to the general welfare of the populace and promote it.
At other times, they have to refrain from action to preserve their electoral assets and extend their political life expectancy. But, how does a leader become a leader? In this article, we are not interested in the historical process but in the answer to the twin questions: what qualifies one to be a leader and why do people elect someone specific to be a leader. The immediately evident response would be that the leader addresses or is judged by his voters to be capable of addressing their needs. These could be economic needs, psychological needs, or moral needs. In all these cases, if left unfulfilled, these unrequited needs are judged to be capable of jeopardizing “acceptable (modes of) existence”. Except in rare cases (famine, war, plague), survival is rarely at risk. On the contrary, people are mostly willing to sacrifice their genetic and biological survival on the altar of said “acceptable existence”. To be acceptable, life must be honorable. To be honorable, certain conditions (commonly known as “rights”) must be fulfilled and upheld. No life is deemed honorable in the absence of food and shelter (property rights), personal autonomy (safeguarded by codified freedoms), personal safety, respect (human rights), and a modicum of influence upon one’s future (civil rights). In the absence of even one of these elements, people tend to gradually become convinced that their lives are not worth living. They become mutinous and try to restore the “honorable equilibrium”. They seek food and shelter by inventing new technologies and by implementing them in a bid to control nature and other, human, factors. They rebel against any massive breach of their freedoms. People seek safety: they legislate and create law enforcement agencies and form armies.Many politics reporters state that although the improvements are not enough to rapidly change the overall state of the nation’s economy, many are going to reap the benefits of this growth pattern. Many in politics even say that we are not going to feel the effects of the growth of the nation in the coming years in its entirety, but we are certainly on our way there.
Each and every day, I find myself questioning my government. Not in a “I’m writing Congress” sort of way. More of a “I can’t believe they just did that”, type of thing.
I speak without regard for either party. It matters not to me whether they are a Republican or Democrat, or bless these poor souls, a lone libertarian or independent. It really does not matter, because I believe they have failed the people of these United States.
It’s sad to watch your representatives vote against (or for) something you explicitly asked them to vote for (or against), all the the while, disregarding your express wishes. You know that you emailed them. You received a letter in which they thanked you for your opinion, and kindly told you to mind your own business.
My frustration has become more apparent with the election of our current President. Barack Obama frustrates me. I don’t get angry with him, because obviously, not enough people showed up at the polls to keep him from being elected.
No, I get frustrated, because I watch him on a daily basis, do the express things that he said he would do, that I did not care for. Then, I watch the few things that I disliked in President Bush’s platform be upheld. These were the things Obama said he would get rid of: Gitmo, The Patriot Act, etc.
Oh, yeah….what about the 5 day cooling off period, so people can review bills before they are signed? I just don’t get it. This was supposed to be a transparent administration. Where’s the transparency? Not that Bush II wasn’t less than transparent, it’s just that he was kind of good at diplomacy…basic hospitality and such.
Diplomacy. This is what has really got my dander up. This week, Britain and Israel aren’t showing up at the nuclear summit that President Obama is throwing. That’s right. Our two oldest, democratic allies are AWOL from a conference only held every two years.
Israel is afraid that we are going to throw them like a piece of meat to some hungry, Middle Eastern nations. Britain is upset, and rightfully so, that we have treated them like the backwoods, less sophisticated cousin.
Relations with Russia have devolved substantially from what they were under the Bush administration, and now, they are taking full advantage of moving in cozy with our critics, one by one. So far, they have cozied up to Fidel Castro, sold weapons to Iran, and exchanged congratulations and strategic alliances with Venezuela’s Bolivarian President, Hugo Chavez.
That’s a far cry from Bush looking into Putin’s eyes, and seeing a friend, or his pleasant joking with Tony Blair.
All in all, we have issues here, and there are too many to even mention. The populace is completely divided over the direction of the country, unless they are acknowledging the state of America in general, which seems to be declining, regardless of which party you claim to back.
Again I ask, “What are they doing?” The answer seems to be “All the wrong things.” I’m not looking for what the Republicans say we need (Ronald Reagan II), or what the Democrats are looking for (FDR II). I just want a government that is responsible to the people that elected them, and to constituents who didn’t.
Kurt Hartman wishes that he claimed no political affiliation. That would be untruthful. Instead of mentioning that, he will merely say that he works for a company that sells otr tires here at http://www.otrtiresupply.com . If you want to know more, you can read his blog, The Tire Pile.
The United States of America was founded about two hundred-fifty years ago by people who wanted some kinds of freedom. Whether that was freedom to conduct their own religious practices, freedom from tyranny of government or freedom to not have to wear shoes does not matter. The fact is that they did found this country seeking freedom.
For these two hundred-fifty years, the people of this country have lived, fought and died to preserve that freedom – the freedom of the individuals of a country to decide by majority rule how they wanted to live. What rules they wanted, how they wanted to be governed, what protections they wanted from both their own people and their own government as well as foreign powers, and how they wanted their laws and governing rules to be made and managed.
Remember the phrase, “government of the people, by the people, for the people”? Does that phrase mean anything – does it have any reality – in our country today?
Today we have elected officials, supposedly sworn to serve the people, deciding the people don’t know what’s right and that THEY, the officials, know best and therefore will make the rules and laws which all the people WILL follow. Today we have judges who have decided THEY have the power to “make” law, and that the legislative bodies, and certainly the people, don’t have the knowledge or the right to judge for themselves what is right and wrong.
Today we have people coming to this country illegally and then, as non-citizens of this country, demanding THEY have the right to all the freedoms and benefits of the citizens.
Today we have people, citizens and non-citizens, demanding THEY have the right, even though they are in the minority, to have all the rules, laws, traditions and founding beliefs of this country changed so THEY, the minority, will not be offended because of their beliefs and will not have to live by the rules of this country. God, the flag, patriotism, our culture, a pledge of allegiance, our language, our lifestyle, our laws – these are OURS. They don’t belong to anyone else. We don’t try to force these on people who don’t live here. They are OURS.
But, now these are offensive to others. “Others” who are not here legally. “Others” who are not citizens. “Others” who have decided they don’t want to live by the principles this country was founded on and, even though they are the minority, have decided they will refuse the laws of the land and will scream and fight to have their own way. But, they also are demanding that all the stupid “citizens” (who may not agree with certain things our country does but still do abide by the rules) darn well better support, defend and provide for them.
I am from a foreign country, brought here by my parents at a young age, and I may or may not agree with things American. But, as an adult I have chosen to live here and to participate in this country. I may or may not try to change things by persuasion or vote. If things get beyond the way I want to live I may or may not choose to leave for someplace else. This country has given me the freedom to make decisions like those. But, it has NOT given me the right to “demand” that YOU change your ways so I can live the way I want to.
Today our leaders in all levels of government and the military are falling all over themselves to not offend “others” who are demanding that this country bend to all their demands. And our own citizens are rolling over in fear of telling our leaders that they are wrong and are supposed to be protecting and defending the Constitution of this country.
Yes, the president is WRONG when he gives away our way of life and forces a future on us we did not ask for. Yes, our courts are WRONG when they “make” laws and give decisions that run against every principle this country was founded on. Yes, the legislators and bureaucrats are WRONG when they work to feather their own nests and to make changes in this country that we, the people, did not ask for.
And yes, we the people are WRONG when we stand by and let irresponsible, un-Godly, un-American politicians, leaders and “others” lead us down the paths to destruction and take away the freedoms and culture this country has fought for two hundred-fifty years to preserve. We DO NOT have to abide by them. They are WRONG and we should work to correct them or remove them.
Stand up and fight, Americans, or it will soon be illegal for you to stand up at all.
Jim Magwood is the author of the international mystery novel, SANCTION. Visit him and SANCTION at his website, http://www.JimMagwood.com. Jim is also the webmaster of the site, The Author’s Inn, dedicated to showcasing author’s works and connecting them with the book reading public. You can visit The Author’s Inn at http://www.the-authors-inn.com.
“My son and I used to be close, he used to treat me as his best friend and share his feeling as well as his daily happenings with me. It gave me immense satisfaction to know that my son trusted me enough to talk to me openly about things which bothered him! As they say, time changes everything; my son too has changed with time…
He no more finds it important to talk to me or even spend time with me. I didn’t bother much about this in the beginning attributing it to the ‘growing up’ phase that he was going through, but it continued on and now I find that our relationship has been reduced to a mere ‘Hello’ and ‘Bye’!
Teenage is the time when your child goes through lot of changes as they start looking different physically and go through lot of emotional changes too. Their way of thinking changes along with their attitude towards life.
Crankiness, being stubborn, being disrespectful are common symptoms which every parent has to deal with. Coming home late, exploring new areas not just geographically but emotionally and physically too, demanding more pocket money along with many more things should be accepted by parents as part and parcel of their child growing up. But there are few things which can help you deal with your teenage child and also help you in having a control on what he is doing.
Below is the list of things which can help you manage your teenager’s wayward behavior:
Be open: Your child is no more a kid now; he is a growing up and needs someone to guide him in the right direction. College life, peer pressure, discovering his individuality can all be very confusing for him and he can act up by lying to you, disobeying you, staying out late at nights etc. He might even booze and try smoking. Don’t impose restrictions directly because it is common not to adhere to those restrictions at his age. Talk with them and set limitation by explaning them their drawbacks and benefits.
Set Rules: Coming home late, going for parties, wandering off to places, are bound to be a part of his college life. Remember even you did all things which you are son is doing now. Set a curfew, beyond which he cannot come home late or go out of the house. By doing this, you’ll ensure that he won’t feel as if you’re snatching away his freedom from him.
Don’t lose your temper: Teenagersgo through a lot of hormonal changes making them subject to impulsive behaviors. So don’t be surprised if you come home late and find out that he has gone out for a movie. By maintaining your cool, not only will you set a good example, you will also show him how you can sort your differences in a civilized manner.
Impart Sex Education: Teenage is age when your “child” learns a lot about his/her body and starts getting curious. Learn to accept this curiosity as part of his growing up and help them deal with it in a constructive manner. Talking to them about sex will not only put them at ease and take your relationship further; it will also ensure that they come to you before trying anything.
Give space: One of the most crucial things parents forget is their own teen years. Remember how tough life was when you had to explain everything to your parents? Well your child is going through the same phase. You can make it easier for both of you by trying to give him enough space to make his own decisions.To read more about Managing Teenage Behaviour by Medimanage.com
Mark of the Beast and the Number 666 By Robert Randle
Nothing strikes more fear in the hearts of Bible-believing Christians than the chilling “mark” of the beast. Along with all the apprehension, panic, and hysteria are numerous convincing theories that range anywhere from the Roman Emperors Nero or Domitian to an infamous Roman Catholic Pope around the same generation or two from the Church’s infancy. Using Greek, Latin, or Hebrew ‘Gematria’ can lead to a seeming unending arrangement of numerical valuations in the letters of a person’s name or title to produce the dreaded “666,” but is this the methodology and determination of chance that this solemn revelation would be dependant upon to make known one of the most significant and ominous symbols contained within the Holy Scriptures?
Revelation 13: 11-18
Then I saw another beast coming out of the earth, and he had two horns like a lamb and spoke like a dragon. And he exercises all authority of the first beast in his presence, and causes the earth and those who dwell in it to worship the first beast, whose deadly wound was healed. He performs great signs, so that he even makes fire come down from heaven on the earth in the sight of men. And he deceives those [my own people] who dwell on the earth by those signs which he was granted to do in the sight of the [first] beast, telling those who dwell on the earth to make an image to the [first] beast who was wounded by the sword and lived (Cp. 13: 1-3). He [the "second" beast] was granted power to give breath (life??) to the image of the beast, that the image of the beast should both speak and cause as many as would not worship the image of the beast to be killed. He causes all, both small and great, rich and poor, free and slave, to receive a mark on their right hand or on their foreheads, and that no one may buy or sell except one who has the (1) mark or the (2) name of the beast, or the (3) number of his name. Here is wisdom. Let him who has understanding calculate the number of the beast, for it is the number of a man: His number is 666.
NOTE: Several things need to be mentioned, namely: The Lord Jesus [Yeshua] was asked about whether it was lawful to pay taxes to Caesar, and He said in Matthew 22: 19-21a: “Show Me the tax money.” So they brought Him a denarius. And He said to them, “Whose ‘image’ and ‘inscription’ is this?” They said unto Him, “Caesars.” The second beast with the horns (strength) of a lamb spoke as a dragon. This particular governmental entity (religious, secular) through the working of a super being (false prophet) performs apparently miraculous-looking signs (fire coming down from heaven or the sky) to deceive those who live on the earth; all in the sight of the ‘first’ beast which recovered from a near-fatal wound (physical, spiritual??). The second beast convinces the other nations or governments to make an “image” to the [first] beast which receiving power from the ‘dragon,’ not only gives breath [life??] to the image and but causes those who refuse to worship the ‘beast’ to be killed [not tormented or put into prison]. No one can engage in commerce or trade without having the sign or seal from the ‘first’ beast in the form of its mark, name, or number; of which a significant clue is given as 666.
14: 9, 10b-12
Then a third angel followed them, saying with a loud voice, “If anyone worships the beast and his image and receives his mark on his forehead or on his hand, He shall be tormented with fire and brimstone in the presence of the holy angels and in the presence of the Lamb. “And the smoke of their torment ascends forever and ever; and they have no rest day or night, who worship the beast and his image, and whoever receives the (1) mark of his name.” Here is the patience of the saints; [here are those] who keep the commandments of God and the faith ‘of’ Jesus Christ [Yeshua Mashiyach].
17: 3, 5-6
So he carried me away in the Spirit unto the wilderness. And I saw a woman sitting on a scarlet beast [ the first one] which was full of names of blasphemy, having seven heads and ten horns. And on her forehead a name written: MYSTERY, BABYLON THE GREAT, THE MOTHER OF HARLOTS AND OF THE ABOMINATIONS OF THE EARTH. I saw the woman, drunk with the blood of the saints and with the blood of the martyrs of Jesus [Yeshua]. And when I saw her I marveled with great amazement.
NOTE: Unless the last part of verse 6 is redundant repetition, who are the “saints” and secondly, the “martyrs” of Jesus [Yeshua]? Is the color of ’scarlet’ associated with the army of Imperial Rome? Lest one also forget, Rome was the presecutor of the Church, and then the Emperor Constantine makes Christianity the official religion throughout the Roman Empire.
17: 10-11, 13
There are also seven kings. Five have fallen, one is [at present], and the other has not yet come. And when he comes, he must continue for a short time. The [first] beast that was, and is not, is himself also the eighth, and is of the seven, and is going to perdition [destruction].
19: 20
Then the [second] beast was captured, and with him the false prophet who worked signs in his presence, by which he deceived those who received the mark of the beast and those who worshipped his image (Cp. 13: 11-14). These were cast alive into the lake of fire burning with brimstone.
NOTE: There seems to be inconsistency with the popular viewpoint regarding the interpretation of symbols. For one thing, if the “Woman” is Papal Rome or Babylon [modern country of Iran], then who is this ’second’ beast? Some conclude that the United States is this beast, but is that so? Does America fit the description of exercising the authority (ecclesiastical, economic, military) of the ‘first’ beast and forces or deceives the other countries of the world to worship the ‘first’ beast’s image and receive its mark, name, and number? Also, the second beast reintroduces some kind of an International geopolitical governmental, socioeconomic or religious system on a worldwide basis that perhaps in some way resembles the earlier one of the first beast and the ‘Woman.’
15: 2
And I saw something like a sea of glass mingled with fire, and those who have the victory over the beast, over his image and over his (1) mark and over the (3) number (666) of his (2) name, standing on the sea of glass, having harps of God.
20: 4a
And I saw thrones, and they sat on them, and judgment was committed to them. Then I saw the souls of those who had been beheaded for their witness to Jesus and for the Word of God (Cp. 17: 5), who had not “worshipped” the beast or his image, and had not received his mark on their foreheads or on their hands.
7: 2-3
Then I saw another angel ascending from the east, having the seal of the living God. And he cried with a loud voice to the four angels to whom it was granted to harm the earth and the sea, saying, “Do not harm the earth, the sea, or the trees till we have sealed the servants of our God on their foreheads.”
NOTE: the earth and the sea is where the first and second “beasts” came out of (Cp. 13: 1a, 11a).
Referring back to another aspect regarding the “beast,” is the more important and often ignored one of spiritual or religious ‘worship’ (Cp. 14: 9; 19: 20; 20: 4a). In fact, this is what causes one to receive and to accept the mark, name, and number of the beast. This is in contrast to those who receive the seal of God by keeping His commandments (Cp. 14: 12). But in what sense is this to be understood? Remember the chilling words spoken to Jesus [Yeshua] by satan in Luke 4: 5-7: Then the devil, taking Him up on a high mountain, showed Him all the kingdoms of the world in a moment [throughout all] of time. And the devil said to Him, All this authority I will give You, and their glory; for this has been delivered to me, and I give it to whomever I wish (Cp. Revelation 13: 1-2b, 4). “Therefore, If you shall worship before me, all will be yours.” And Jesus [Yeshua] answered and said to him, “For it is written, ‘You shall worship the LORD your God, and Him only shall you shall serve.’ ” (Cp. Deuteronomy 6: 13; 10: 20)
Isaiah 8: 16
Bind up the testimony, Seal up the Law ["Torah"] among My disciples.
Matthew 5: 17
“Do not think that I came to destroy [annul] the Law ["Torah"] and the Prophets. I did not come to destroy but to fulfill.
Romans 3: 31
Do we then make void [annul] the Law ["Torah"] through ‘faith’? Certainly not [God forbid]! On the contrary we establish the Law ["Torah"].
7: 12, 14
Therefore the Law ["Torah"] is holy, and the commandment holy and just and good. For we know that the Law ["Torah"] is spiritual, but I am carnal, sold under sin.
James 1: 25
But he who looks into the perfect Law ["Torah"] of liberty and continues in it, and is not a forgetful hearer but a doer of the work, this one will be blessed in what he does.
Besides keeping God’s commandments or Law ["Torah"], the final part is the mysterious number, triple six (666), which has intrigued Christian believers, Gnostics, Occultists, Cabalists, Sufis, etc. for millennia. It must be kept in mind that the author of “REVELATION” was most likely Jewish, considering all the symbolism and allusions in the prophesies (Ezekiel, Daniel, Zechariah, etc.) contained in the Jewish Bible ["Tanakh"]. It is also reasonable to conclude that he wrote in Hebrew, if not Aramaic and therefore used “Gematria” based on the numerical values of the 22 letters of the Hebrew alphabet. This being the case, a possible combination for six-hundred sixty six could be: final ‘Mem’ (600), ‘Samekh’ (60), ‘Vav (6) or ‘Tav’ (400), ‘Resh’ (200), ‘Samekh’ (60), ‘Vav (6).
Be that as it may, those to whom this letter was penned undoubtedly were taught and understood what this coded acronym was as opposed to the mostly commendable scholarly guesswork of modern-day Bible theologians, the “Last Days” or “End Times” proponents, Seventh-day Adventists, and a host of others.
The state of the economy has made getting that college degree hard for many students. So what if we told you, there’s a place you can show up for class when you want, go at your own pace, all at a discount?
Set Rules: Coming home late, going for parties, wandering off to places, are bound to be a part of his college life. Remember even you did all things which you are son is doing now. Set a curfew, beyond which he cannot come home late or go out of the house. By doing this, you’ll ensure that he won’t feel as if you’re snatching away his freedom from him.
Impart Sex Education: Teenage is age when your “child” learns a lot about his/her body and starts getting curious. Learn to accept this curiosity as part of his growing up and help them deal with it in a constructive manner. 
Give space: One of the most crucial things parents forget is their own teen years. Remember how tough life was when you had to explain everything to your 