Ralph Higgins

Ralph Higgins
color pencil sketch by Gayle Higgins

Quotes I Like


“Everyone is a genius, but if you judge a fish by its ability to climb a tree, it will live its whole life believing that it is stupid.”

-Albert Einstein

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Friday, November 1, 2013

A Bum Rap?


     The Tea Party seems to arouse the same anathema as Christianity, global warming, acid reflux, and erectile dysfunction.  But why?  Are the tenets of the Tea Party so extreme and dangerous that they deserve denigration, contempt, and fear?  Maybe we simply disparage that which we fear.

             But do the media and the public have any idea why they hold the Tea Party in such contempt?

            If the rational segment of the public was aware of the precepts of this grass-roots movement, they may find that they are in agreement with the beliefs of the Tea Party without even knowing it. 

            Unfortunately, the term, “Tea Party,” has become a generic label for fanatics and snake-kissing swamp people led by the banjo player in “Deliverance.”  But most people have no idea what the Tea Party people actually believe. 

            The original Boston Tea Party was a protest by the colonists against the British tax on tea in 1773.  It had to do with taxation and the colonists rebelled by dumping British tea into the harbor.          

            As most informed people know, we live in Huxley’s Brave New World where words like Tea Party, freedom, patriot, and other normally innocuous terms trigger governmental spy agencies to check in on us to see if we are faithfully practicing our fascist salute.  It’s wise to be aware of government surveillance and control, but that doesn’t mean we should give up the fight to regain the freedom we’ve lost.  

            Dietrich Bonhoeffer said, “Silence in the face of evil is itself evil:  God will not hold us guiltless.  Not to speak is to speak.  Not to act is to act.”

           So if the Tea Party is as bad as the media and politicians make it out to be, let’s look at the nefarious and “extremist policies” that make up the Tea Party platform:

The Tea Party Platform:

* Abide by the Constitution of the United States
* Reduce the Overall Size of Government
* Believe in the People
* Eliminate the National Debt
* Eliminate Deficit Spending
* Eliminate Excessive Taxes
* Promote Civic Responsibility
* Avoid the Pitfalls of Politics
* Maintain Local Independence
* Protect Free Markets

"The Tea Party is a grassroots movement that calls awareness to any issue which challenges the security, sovereignty, or domestic tranquility of our beloved nation, the United States of America.   From our founding, the Tea Party represents the voice of the true owners of the United States:  We The People.

"The Tea Party includes those who possess a strong belief in the foundational Judeo-Christian values embedded in our great founding documents."

           Basically these folks believe in restoring America's founding principles of fiscal responsibility, constitutionally limited government, free markets, lower taxes, and individual freedom.           

           If you agree with these principles, you may be onboard with the Tea Party and not even know it.  Consequently, you will be considered an "extremist."  It wasn't so long ago that you would have been thought of as a typical patriotic American.  That's how far from shore we've drifted.

           Remember the ominous warning from John Adams:  "But a Constitution of Government once changed from Freedom , can never be restored.  Liberty, once lost, is lost forever."

           Liberty once lost, is lost forever . . . sad, but true.




14 comments:

  1. Ahh Ralph. If the stated precepts were all there was to it sure would make it simple. But in reality altho I too believe in those stated platform items, that's not what I find so onerous about my own state senator Ted Cruz. It's that he literally believes, it seems, that the ends justify the means he takes to get there. That means no matter who he hurts getting his way it's OK because he's fighting the good fight to end evil. He epitomizes the current "lock it up" philosophy in DC. That's not how we can run a republic, at least one like we have today. And to think we can restore it to the state we were in in Teddy Roosevelt's day is naive at best and I'll just leave that one alone at that point.
    The sad thing about what we just went thru, and may do so again in January, is that it looks possible that ObamaCare may kill itself or at least the most onerous parts if we just let it continue to shoot itself in it's proverbial foot each and every day.
    Always glad you make me think Ralph even tho it's not always in complete agreement.

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    1. Malcolm -
      Somehow I knew I'd rattle your cage with this one.
      It's true. We are on opposite sides of the fence on this one.

      Ted Cruz, in my opinion, is the antithesis of the usual game played in Washington. Personally, I think he's the best thing going at the moment. Standing up for your belief is something we don't often see in the "good ol' boys," "go along to get along" so called "public servants." We finally have a small group of young legislators who stand on principle and have guts. I like it.

      The "end justifies the means" is the communist, as well as the Islamic way. Look at how Obama works around Congress for his "ends."

      I agree with you that we can't restore things the way they were. It's unfortunate, but the values we once had are gone and can't be "re-created."

      Regarding Obama Care...It's going as planned. It was never meant to work. Watch what happens.. When it falls apart, the federal government will jump in and put us in a single payer system (socialized medicine) to save the day. That's the "end game."

      Anyway, we don't have to always agree. That's what makes it fun.

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    2. Ralph as you know we're not at opposite sides of this. I like to think we're both on the right but indeed on opposites sides of the right. I liken your position as being to the right of Genghis Khan and I'm more a centrist like John Adams. That's not a slap, just where we position ourselves politically on the right.
      Always the best to both you and Gayle.

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    3. You're right. I know you're with me, but with some minor adjustments. But I've always been a big "John Adams" fan. I'm glad to hear that you are too. I think Adams would be a Tea Party guy today. Gayle may agree with you on the Genghis Khan thing. But I have to be that way to keep her in line!

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  2. Ralph (& Malcom), you both make sense, unfortunately! Better if one of you were "wacko"!

    Your take on Obama Care sure seems right on. It appears it will starve itself to death (whatever that means)!

    Ralph, are there good hospitals in your area? Kaiser?

    Blessings, boys & get ready for the snow.Malcom, where do you live?

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    1. Ed -

      Malcolm always makes sense. That's why it's fun to spar with him. He's a smart dude. And a Texan.

      Up here in the mountains, we depend on our large animal veterinarian for surgical procedures. Only kidding. We have a very good hospital here in Quincy. It's not large and everyone knows the doctors, but that's what makes it great.

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    2. Hi Ed. I live in McKinney, Texas, or as Dan Jenkins wrote, "Baja Oklahoma". It's half way between Dallas and the Red River border with Oklahoma which is 80 miles. So we're 40 miles or so each direction. Still in the 70's here.

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    3. Ralph you might like a book by Doris Goodwin titled, "The Bully Pulpit". Its the political alliance of Roosevelt and Taft. It's interesting that Taft was at one end of the Republican Party ideals and Teddy was at the opposite or "Progressive" end! In fact recall he was so disgusted with the party hacks that he left the party and formed the the Bull Moose Party in 1912 in order to try to beat Taft in a second try at the White House, which failed. It's instructive to see how our targets shift as to what 'conservative' means.

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    4. Good point. Democrats in my dad's day, were more like republicans today. After FDR both of my parents switched from democrat to republican. By then the "progressive" movement was well underway and democrats are now tinkering with socialism.

      The Goodwin book sounds interesting. I've got it on my list.

      Thanks, Malcolm

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  3. By the way the Bully Pulpit is out in November 5th and my info is from reviews published in the last 2 weeks.

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    1. Malcolm -
      I just told Gayle what you said about me relative to Genghis Khan. She cracked up and told to tell you that you are right! Maybe I need one of those "touchy, feely, sensitivity-training" courses and maybe I should quit hanging around Genghis.

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  4. Or maybe you just need another beer!!!!

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