I HAD A DREAM AND IT SCARED ME

[FCTP]

I had a dream last night and woke up in a cold sweat. It starts with the sun rising on an American beach while the seagulls fly across the horizon and people are jogging on the shore. The next scene President Obama is standing in his bedroom with a phone in his hand. He’s calling Nancy and Harry and they have this conversation. “Morning Nancy. Morning Harry. What shall we hit the American people with today? Got any ideas?” Harry and Nancy think about it for a few minutes, sip their coffee and dip their donuts and say “Well, we could totally change the financial system in America or we could take over the internet or we could give amnesty to all the illegal immigrants who are here illegally or we could really have some fun and try all three this week!” They giggle and laugh and say some rude remarks about those racist capitalists and then go about their day planning the demise of the American way of life.

The picture ends with all three hanging up their phones, they each grin as they walk away and the camera spans to a view of hard working people sitting in their cars on the freeway heading to work, a mom dropping her children off at school, a father kissing his family goodbye and those same joggers stopping to watch the sunrise. All these great Americans are unaware that their lives are about to be changed forever.

That picture is pretty close to reality and it’s time for you to do something about this and Stand Up for Freedom. Here are some items that did happen last week and you need to know about them:

1. INTERNET: With total disrespect to a Federal court’s ruling that the FCC had overstepped its bounds in trying to regulate the internet, the Obama administration said they would only “set meaningful boundaries” and it will now become a “utility” to be managed by the Government. That ladies and gentlemen is a takeover of our ability to do research, communicate and link with others across the world. The internet is a capitalist enterprise and now the government feels it is their job to monitor it, regulate it and turn it into a utility instead of letting the free market manage itself. I don’t know about you but I did not know the Internet was broken. Did you? Read more about it in the Wall Street Journal at: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424052748703961104575226583645448758.html?mod=WSJ_hp_mostpop_read

2. FINANCIAL REFORM BILL: Isn’t it interesting that the Dow would take a deep dip and then rebound based on a “fat finger” of a trader? We understand reps of major US exchanges and the SEC got together for an emergency conference call to examine potentially erroneous trades in different stocks. Now we anxiously await the government stepping in to ensure that only people with “slim fingers” can work on Wall Street! If the government thinks the American people believe this one – they really are as foolish as they appear. The American people are talking at the kitchen table about this so-called mistake and we have that strange feeling of a “crisis” that needed to happen so it would not go to waste. Maybe then the FINANCIAL REFORM BILL (aka Wall Street Bailout Bill) would be elevated to a crisis? Check out the in-depth article from Heritage about Chris Dodd’s bill now being discussed in Congress. You will notice the bill does nothing to address Freddie and Fannie and the big winners in this bill are the trial lawyers – similar to the Healthcare Reform Bill! The American People lose and Wall Street has an eternal bailout program. Remember…that’s what set off the tea party patriots when all those bailouts occurred. This will only create more anger towards Washington and you would think Congress and the White House would figure that one out! (Or maybe they want the people to become even more upset??? Hummmmm) See the article at Heritage and learn more. http://www.heritage.org/research/reports/2010/04/senator%20dodds%20regulation%20plan%2014%20fatal%20flaws

3. Speaking of Financial Reform – the Audit the Fed Bill is now up for a vote tomorrow (Tuesday, May 11). This is an important bill for all of us. The Fed is NOT transparent and we want to know why. The Fed has too much power and is in control of our financial well-being. What are they doing behind the doors of the Fed? We have no idea. That’s why the Audit the Fed Bill is critical to Restoring the Republic. To learn more about this bill and what to do about it -- go to http://www.jbs.org/news-center/birchtube/930

4. Speaking of Financial Reform again – This weekend the US agreed to help bailout Greece. Where and when will this end?

5. Illegal Immigration – The Obama Administration is not taking the Arizona bill lying down. They are threatening to sue the State of Arizona for protecting its borders from Illegal Immigrants. Take a look at this video and tell me if we are not in serious danger here with radicals forcing us to take anyone and everyone who wants to come to America – including those who are revolutionaries. This is a UCLA Professor who is paid to teach our children!! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGqPo5ofk0s&feature=player_embedded

ACTION ITEMS:

Read: Today’s edition of the Washington Times… http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2010/may/06/constitution-in-decline/

Our founding fathers put in place all the documents we need to live by and they are rapidly being destroyed by the progressives in power.

Contact: Everyone on the list at this page from our website.

http://firstcoastteaparty.org/?page_id=30

Tell them you expect them to protect and defend the Constitution of the United States as they promised to do so when they took office. Let them know we are watching and for every vote they pass or every behind the scenes piece of regulation they create – we will do all we can to ensure they do not return to Washington when they are up for re-election.

Ladies & Gentlemen: It is your time to Stand up for Freedom. Do what you can by either calling, writing, faxing, voting, educating others, donating to conservative candidates and donating to the First Coast Tea Party. We are working hard to do all we can to secure the liberties for ourselves and our children and we need your help to continue this fight for freedom. Will you help? Can you do something big to help?

Donations can be made at www.firstcoastteaparty.org either by PayPal or via check and mailed to the address listed on the site.

God bless us all and continue to protect our liberties and freedoms, please.

[ThomasMurray Glenn Murray Jr]

Once again we can see the Senate, Arrogant in it's Ignorance, just following the pied piper ( Obama), over the cliff and in Nov out of town...

[Dennis J. Fleming]

Billie, I encourage you to spread the concept of asking for a problem statement to every person you know. I also encourage us as members of the Tea Party Movement to carefully formulate and publish a statement of the problem or problems we are addressing. We need to be prepared to respond when asked the question.

[FCTP]

fantastic Dennis!! this is great and I am thrilled with your thoughts. Can we pass this along to others in the tea party?

[Dennis J. Fleming]

What is the problem you are trying to solve?
I like Mr. Alinsky’s rules. We should use them to our advantage.
• Rule 3: Whenever possible, go outside the experience of an opponent.
• Rule 6: A good tactic is one your people enjoy.
• Rule 10: The price of a successful attack is a constructive alternative.
In my career as an engineer, inventor and manager I have learned that before a problem can be solved it must be defined and understood.
We should ask our representatives to define, in a single sentence, what problem they are addressing with any proposed legislation. If the legislative activity isn’t focused upon solving a clearly defined problem it is at best a waste of time and resources. At worst it is detrimental to the sustainability of the United States.

The sequence of questions for legislators and other leaders should be;
• Can you define in a single sentence the problem you are addressing with the proposed legislation?
• Why is that a problem for the citizens of the United States, State, City, etc.?
• Are citizens capable of solving the problem without government intervention?
• What is required of an acceptable solution?
• What is the probable result of not enacting the legislation?
• What is the probable result of enacting the proposed legislation?
• What alternatives are available?
• What is the probability that the proposed legislation will solve the problem?
• How will the proposed legislation impact the sustainability of the United States, State, City, etc.?
• What resources will be required to implement the solution?
• Additional questions can be asked as indicated by the specific situation.

It would be great if members of the various media would pick up this line of questioning when interviewing politicians.

Imagine if you will this line of questioning regarding immigration reform, internet control, control of the banking industry

Asking politicians to define the problem before they attempt to solve it follows at least three of Alinsky’s rules.
• It will take them outside their experience
• I for one would enjoy asking politicians to define the problem.
• It is a constructive alternative to enacting legislation because “It is the right thing to do” or “The citizens deserve it”.

Ask a politician to define the problem. You may be surprised to hear their answer.

[ThomasMurray Glenn Murray Jr]

A dose of reality. The FCC wants not only the Internet but Talk Radio as well. How many Banks have they
closed already? How many Hospitals have already closed their doors because of government regulation and lack of funding? The Automotive industry, Primarily GM, Was due to the Unions, Not the share holders. Noww they have a large ownership in GM as the Government does. Where does it all end.

[Maxine Jessica Roberts]

Not every area has a choice like we do now. Before ATT Uverse came to jacksonville We only had comcast.

[FCTP]

So then I go to the one who says you get more "channels" and I purchase that one. Sort of like Comcast or ATT Uverse. I get to choose. Again, my gut is telling me I don't want the government regulating one more thing. Their job is to protect and defend us - which they are doing a crappy job of. I'll let others participate in this discussion. Don't want to be too stubborn here yet I'll have a hard time changing my mind due to Big Government all over the place in everything. Off to work..

[Maxine Jessica Roberts]

Yes, too much intrusion is a bad thing. But sadly when you get down to the bone of an issue. Some things need to be regulated to protect the intrest of the people.

Lets put it this way.
The ISP's would like to be able to charge you more if you use certain features of the internet that not everyone uses.

This would be similar a Gas Station charging you more per gallon of gas because your car has a v8 instead of a v6 or a inline 4 engine.

Each car (Person) enjoys the same road way (Internet), Why should the person with the larger engine pay more for the gas per gallon used?

In economics this could be considered Price Gouging on an individual basis. And Price Gouging is offensive to everyone.

[FCTP]

Any time the government starts regulating commerce, we are in their hands. I would rather be in the hands of a free market capitalist than a progressive any day of the week.

I'm sure we'll get varying views on this but that's mine. I've seen too much government intrusion in our lives and this is just another way to open the door to more.

[Maxine Jessica Roberts]

I for one being a geek and a nerd want net neutrality. I paid my isp for unlimited access to the internet they should not be allowed to single me out and throttle my bandwidth because of any reason. The fcc's proposal would protect that and nothing else. You said you want the freedom to do research what freedom would you have when you have to pay your isp extra each month just to see google. Or fox news?

There are many other websites out there that can better explain it then I. But for me the FCC is doing what I think is right. They are not regulating the internet. They are regulating the isp's to keep the internet unregulated and untiered so you don't have to pay extra to visit what ever your isp deems "premium content"