As we cleaned up the park from our July 3rd event, I had to sit down and reflect upon what I had just observed. This is a tough blog to write as I know I may actually insult some people who read this. If I do, please forgive me and know that I am sharing my heart and do so with the best of intentions.

My observation: Those who attended the event yesterday are scared. A solider from WWII stood next to me, looked me in the eye and cried for his country. I felt him look deep into my soul and I will never forget his eyes rimmed with tears. Here stood a grown man, a man who carried a gun for this country and a man now afraid of what is happening around him.
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Join us for an educational event on the 2nd Amendment. July 6th

Join us for our Independence Day Picnic on July 3rd in Orange Park.

In his own words, Mr. Obama is nearing his prediction.
“We are 5 days away from fundamentally changing America.”

WATCH 10 SECOND VIDEO

Financial Reform Bill Moving Towards a Vote this Week – Barney and Dodd are in charge and we are in trouble!

Permanent Bailout for Large Banks, Freddie & Fannie get off “scott-free” and we pay higher taxes – “Tyranny in America”
Dollar devalued

In the wee hours of Friday morning, another nail in the coffin of a free America was hit hard. Financial Reform Bill – HR 4173 will go down in history as the second leg on the stool of tyranny. The first one – Healthcare Reform passed in March. The third leg will be Amnesty for Illegal – mark our words – this will be next.

HR 4173 does nothing to fix our financial depression and the giants who were behind our financial collapse – Freddie and Fannie – got a free ticket to ride. Why? Find out more at Liberty Central and use their technology to Take Action today. Return to the website daily this week as they post more information about this bill. They have a team of Bill Readers who are pouring through the bill and looking for more hidden agendas.

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I was born in year two of the Great Depression (1931) and spent the
first 10 years of my life influenced by the extreme hardships of the
depression. By todayʼs standards my family was about a mile below todayʼs so called ʻpoverty levelʼ; but if you never ʻhadʼ—doing without was not so ʻbadʼ.

Borrowing shoes to graduate from the 8th grade didnʼt seem at all demeaning because most of the 8th graders did the same thing. On June 6, 1944, my only brother, Joe, was killed in action on Utah Beach in Normandy, France during the D-Day landings. Exactly one year later, my father died and left me, my mother and my sister to go it alone. And alone we went. My mother went to work at a
department store, my sister dropped out of school and joined her and and I went to work shining shoes on the streets of Memphis for a dime a shine. Government assistance was not available and if it were I am confident my mother would have refused it because she never wanted the government involved in our lives.

I mention this bit of personal history to help you understand that millions of Americans, including your parents and grandparents, grew up like me during the Great Depression and never expected nor wanted the government to offer them anything except an OPPORTUNITY.

Today, I am a practicing “Tea Party” conservative because this movement is founded on the principle of smaller government, lower taxes and fewer entitlements.

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The outcome of the so-called healthcare “reform” debate and legislation in Washington this week should not have surprised any journalist who has ever worked in the nation’s capital.

Closed doors, deal-making, skullduggery, extortion, payoffs, arm-twisting and betrayal have been the tools of “democracy” there for years.

Our elected “leaders” in Congress and at the White House, however, retooled the federal government and bludgeoned Americans in ways most veteran observers have never witnessed.

Some of the constitutional and legislative sins were:

– Congress obliterated the separation between the legislative and executive branches

– Congress perverted the legislative rule-making process to save the
presidency

– Members of Congress granted special status to several states whose lawmakers pulled the plough for the president

– Thousands of Americans — mostly Tea Party members — who traveled to Washington to be heard on the issue were shunned

– Washington Beltway insiders used the chummy national media to distort the events

– House Speaker Nancy Pelosi emptied her bag of tricks, even playing the race card in an inappropriate “in-your-face” way

– Ringer Democrats, including Rep. Bart Stupak of Michigan, caved to the call of the party to pry open federal abortion funding.

The winds of war started sweeping across Washington in the wake of the 2008 elections when Democrats gained control of Congress and the White House. The plans to impose their will on Americans began taking shape then.

This fight over healthcare is likely the first skirmish in long-running war over key issues that will forever change the character of America. Battles will heat up as the November midterm elections approach.

And don’t forget, the world is watching as the United States crumbles from within, enemies maneuver beyond our borders and the cornerstone of the country — the Constitution — is subverted in a political quagmire.

But the good-hearted, God-fearing, flag-waving members of the Tea Party Movement must remain strong and committed to prevail in efforts to restore America to its solid foundation.

The good news to remember includes:

– The heathcare skirmish more clearly defines the tactics and morality of the adversaries

– The nonpartisan, nonprofit movement, guided by its mission statement, continues to grow day by day

– The faith of volunteer Tea Party participants remains strong

– The name recognition and understanding of the movement is becoming clearer to the American people, despite the bias of the national media

– New national leaders are emerging around the country to speak out on the key issues

– Americans will be better informed about the plight of the country and how they again can resurrect it from corruption and decay

– America still has the strongest and best-trained military force of patriots to defend it

– And the Tea Party Movement is serving our beloved country, our children and the future of freedom

The grassroots planting of seeds will yield a better and stronger America. The future looks bright.

Most Americans have played the game “hide and seek” at some point in life. Well, folks, we are now playing the biggest “hide and seek” game we ever played, but be careful, the rules are changing as we chase the ever elusive dreams of reasonable, affordable healthcare and good government.

President Obama, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi have teamed up to shout to the American people: Tag! You’re it!

When the game began, the American people shouted loudly to our anointed leaders in Washington DC that they were not happy with the existing proposals and wanted the elected demigods to start over.

As the game started, the U.S. Senate needed 60 votes to pass the proposed healthcare legislation. Whoa, Reid and Obama shouted, we are changing the rules — only 51 votes are needed in the Senate to pass a “reconciliation” agreement with the House of Representatives.

The House balked at passing the Senate version of the legislation, so its Democratic leader Pelosi apparently also wanted to change the rules. Since the House couldn’t agree on a compromise, Congress needed some new rules to elude the American people.

Snooker! Snooker! House Democrats shouted, recalling their upbringing with billiard sticks.

U.S. Rep. Devin Nunes, R-Calif., then alerted “We the People” to yet another pitfall: “Don’t trip on the leprechaun” as St. Patrick’s Day approaches.

Nunes, a member of the House Budget Committee, said the rules were changing again as the panel began the “reconciliation” process — without a bill to consider or a Congressional Budget Office analysis of how much the legislation would cost American taxpayers.

“You’re more likely to see a leprechaun on St. Patrick’s Day than to see this bill,” Nunes told Fox News. “Maybe they [Democrats] can get their leprechaun out to discuss this.”

Chris Wallace unraveled the new rules-change plot on Sunday while interviewing Democratic point man Rep. Chris Van Hollen of Maryland, pinch-hitting for Pelosi on “Fox News Sunday.” Van Hollen, leader of the Democrats’ November re-election efforts, faced off with Rep Eric Cantor, R-Virginia, on the matter of how the healthcare legislation would pass.

Obama, Pelosi, D-Calif., and White House spokesman Robert Gibbs had triumphantly said the phantom “reform” measure no one has seen would pass this week.

Van Hollen hinted at a new rules change to achieve passage — and members of Congress would not need to vote on the healthcare “reform” bill.

Most likely, the main thorn in the side of House members — whose seats are all at stake in the November midterm elections — is the abortion issue. Rep. Bart Stupak, D-Mich., and 11 other Democratic congressmen apparently are adamant about legislation wording that would enforce the 33-year-old “Hyde Amendment” that prohibits taxpayer spending for abortions.

WALLACE: Will Democrats find some – not rhetoric, but some legislative way to guarantee no federal money for abortions?

VAN HOLLEN: Absolutely. In fact, the Senate bill already does that.

What the Senate bill says …

WALLACE: Well, you know that a lot – in fact, Democrat Bart Stupak says that’s not true.

VAN HOLLEN: But what Bart Stupak is saying, really, is you can’t use your own money to purchase a health insurance plan that provides for reproductive health coverage including abortion.

WALLACE: No, he’s saying you have to buy a completely separate policy.

VAN HOLLEN: But what the – what the Senate – what the Senate version says is that you have to write a check with your own money to the extent that you want to purchase additional coverage that covers reproductive services.

WALLACE: But you’re not going to go beyond the Senate language.

VAN HOLLEN: I don’t – I don’t believe we’re going to go beyond the Senate language, but I know there are ongoing discussions that have been taking place. …

Wallace asked if Democrats were still considering the possibility of a rule proffered by Rep. Louise Slaughter, D-N.Y, chairwoman of the House Rules Committee, in which the House could vote for the rule and you wouldn’t have to vote up or down on the Senate bill.

VAN HOLLEN: Well, let’s make it clear. We’re going to have an up-or- down vote, whether it’s up or down on the Senate bill or up or down on a procedure that would include passage of the Senate bill, recognizing that we’re amending the Senate bill. …”

WALLACE: What assurance do you need from the Senate that they will take up the House reconciliation fix-it bill before you’ll vote on it?

VAN HOLLEN: We need some absolute guarantees from the Senate. We need to be absolutely assured that at least 51 senators there will support the package of changes. Whether that takes the…

WALLACE: What’s an absolute guarantee? What’s an absolute guarantee?

VAN HOLLEN: Whether that takes the form of a letter, whether that takes the president of the United States saying that he has conferred with 51 senators and they’re all on board – whatever form it takes, it has provide assurances to enough House members that they will follow through, because we want to change the Senate bill. We will be changing the Senate bill.”

Cantor, speaking for Republican solidarity on the vote, said, “I think, in the minds of most Americans a direct vote on the Senate bill. I mean, I’ve got the Constitution right here. It’s section one – or article one, section seven that says in all cases the votes of both houses shall be determined by yeas and nays.

And right here, we’re seeing a perversion of the rules to go ahead and ram through this trillion-dollar healthcare that’s going to – trillion-dollar healthcare bill that’s going to change everyone’s healthcare care. And it’s simply a bill that Americans don’t want and we can’t afford. … This is a trillion-dollar bill attempting to overhaul healthcare for every single American that the public has decided that’s not the bill for us. Republicans care about healthcare. We want to make sure that positive reform is effected. We don’t accept the status quo. We just don’t like this bill.”

Democrats have some ringers who say they are undecided on the issue, but that would likely mean Stupak and his group would cave and accept the “guarantees” from Pelosi, Reid and Obama that abortion funding would be banned in the final language of phantom legislation that no one has seen.

Votes on rules and procedures have been used regularly in Congress to provide political cover for members. They can go back to their states and districts and say they voted on a rule or procedure change and not on the substantive legislation. It is a comfort zone between what they actually DO in Washington and what they tell their constituents.

Americans, beware, you might hear “Tag! You’re it” or you just might get snookered.

After nearly a year of discussions, we are further away from real health care reform and closer to Government-run healthcare.

What could have been a great opportunity for America has now turned into a game from the White House. The game has no winners. Everyone loses especially — We the People.

The President of the United States job is to lead. Mr. Obama, unfortunately, is a micro-manager. Micromanagement is a compulsion based upon deep seated insecurities resistant to CHANGE. Mr. Obama’s platform was all about Change and yet he is not willing to listen to others, to learn from others or to collaborate with others. Unwilling to really listen, he has put our country in harms way and We the People have no leader.

Since we have no leader, will you lead? Will you step up to the plate and do all you can to keep this healthcare non-reform bill from passing? Will you do all you can to educate yourself on what is happening in politics, in our country and in our schools? Will you encourage others to get up and do something for their country? For their futures? For the future of their children and grandchildren? Will you be willing to Stand Up for America? Are you a leader willing to help your country? If so, read on.

FACTS ABOUT THIS BILL

Costs: The new healthcare overhaul is expected to cost $950 billion.

Individual Costs: Congressional Budget Office’s analysis of the bill estimates it would cost families an additional $2,300 in premiums.

No Improvement: Jeffrey Flier, M.D., dean of the Harvard Medical School, has stated that there is near unanimity of opinion among analysts that the current legislation “would do little or nothing to improve quality or change health-care’s dysfunctional delivery system.”

Hidden legislation: Democrats are attempting to incorporate changes in student aid into the bill. The measure would require the government to originate student loans, closing out a role for banks and other private lenders who charge a fee. Obama proposed taking the savings and plowing it into higher Pell Grants that go to needy college students.

More Taxes: Democrats are quietly reshaping the tax system too with a “back door tax.” President Obama’s latest health-care proposal is a major change to the Medicare tax that has always been tied to payrolls. In every paycheck, employers and employees each chip in 1.45%, regardless of how much someone makes. Under Obama’s proposal — which should be very close to what Congress winds up enacting — a Medicare tax would now be applied to investment income too: Individuals who earn more than $200,000 and couples over $250,000 would pay an additional 2.9% surtax on unearned income from interest, dividends, annuities, royalties and rents.

Mandates: The proposal would require almost everyone to be insured or pay a fine. There is an exemption for low-income people.

Blue Dog Democrats: One of our last great “hopes” for keeping the Government-run Healthcare Bill from becoming law is Rep. Bart Stupak. Stupak, a Pro-Life Democrat, is also opposed to funding abortions in the bill. “If you pass the Stupak amendment, more children will be born, and therefore it will cost us millions more. That’s one of the arguments I’ve been hearing,” Stupak says. “Money is their hang-up. Is this how we now value life in America? If money is the issue – come on, we can find room in the budget. This is life we’re talking about.”

In National Review, Stupak said, “I am a definite ‘no’ vote. I didn’t cave. The others are having both of their arms twisted, and we’re all getting pounded by our traditional Democratic supporters, like unions.”

So, with all the hoop-la about healthcare reform, the country is still in a mess and according to the latest Rasmussen Reports this week our fellow Americans believe our…

Country is heading in the right direction – 25%

Country is heading in the wrong direction – 71%

It’s time for some leadership and it’s time for all Great Americans to Stand Up and say “Enough is enough!!”

Join us Tuesday morning at the Jacksonville Airport as we meet together to send off the leader of the DC Delegation from the First Coast Tea Party.  Diane Leone will be traveling to DC to prepare for others who will join her for ten days of visits to Senators who are considering voting Yes on the healthcare bill. 

Thanks to our dedicated tea party patriots we were able to raise $4,000 to pay for this trip.  We are still under budget slightly and we are going ahead anyway in faith that more dollars will come in to help us with this trip.  If you are interested in donating to help out, you can do so online and donate via PayPal.  You can click here to Donate or send us a check written to First Coast Tea Party to: 1513 Orlando Circle South, Jacksonville, FL 32207. 
 
Anyone who donates $25 or more will receive a First Coast Tea Party “tea” shirt as our thanks.
 
Click here to read on.