The Goal Was Not To Lose

Posted on 28/09/2013 by Grumpa Joe

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My latest book is not fiction, it is history. Specifically, Revolutionary Summer deals with the short period of May through September of 1776. Joseph Ellis does a remarkable job of chronicling the people and the events leading to America’s independence from Great Britain. One thing that impressed me is the significant role played by John Adams in orchestrating the separation of the American Colonies from the British Empire. Most of us like to believe that Thomas Jefferson was the primary author of the Declaration of Independence, but it was John Adams who master minded the Declaration and Jefferson who translated Adams ideas into words. There is a wonderful movie covering this same subject called “1776.”

This story depicts the difficult task ahead of George Washington as he leads the Continental Army, a band of amateurs, against the élite and experienced British military. Washington makes a critical mistake at the beginning of the war when he encamped his entire army on Manhattan Island in New York. The British fleet arrives with thirty thousand men, and also lands on the island. The armada of ships loaded with firepower and supplies lay just off the shore ready on a moments notice to move to where ever they would be needed.

Washington’s biggest task is to avoid being annihilated, and/or captured. He wrestles with losing his honor and that of his army because he knows the practical thing to do is to retreat from the island to the mainland.

I saw similarities to 1776 and 2013 while reading this story. An unorganized, untrained, poorly armed band of zealots stand-off against the world’s most powerful country. In my mind I see a band of Tea Party Patriots and Militias standing tall against the world’s largest, strongest , and richest country. Maybe it won’t happen in my lifetime, but we are on a track to having to stand up for what we believe. Our first line of attack is through the ballot box knowing that if that does not work, the next step will be . . .

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A Great Cost Analysis

Posted on 13/12/2012 by Grumpa Joe
Tax and Spend % GDP 1993-2008

Tax and Spend % GDP 1993-2008 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

My cousin Sharon from California always sends me great stuff. Today, she sent me a cost analysis. Because engineers are always looking at the cost of things, I have a special place in my heart for this analogy. How dumb do the Progressives think we the Sheeple are? Or worse yet, do they buy into this preposterous bargain and believe it will save the world?

You may want to follow this advice and have a party with the amount of money you save by cutting back. Just think of all the great social programs you can support for the “good of the people.”

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Do the math.

I’m cutting back and you may want to also….

I’m going to bite the bullet, too!

President Obama ordered the cabinet to cut $100,000,000.00 ($100 million) from the $3,500,000,000,000.00 ($3.5 trillion) federal budget.

I’m so impressed by this sacrifice that I have decided to do the same thing with my personal budget. I spend about $2,000 a month on groceries, household expenses, medicine, utilities, etc., but it’s time to get out the budget cutting axe, go through my expenses, and cut back.

I’m going to cut my spending at exactly the same ratio (1/35,000) of my total budget. After doing the math, it looks like instead of spending $2,000 a month, I’m going to have to cut that number by six cents. Yes, I’m going to have to get by with $1999.94, but that’s what sacrifice is all about.

I’ll just have to do without some things, that are, frankly, luxuries – six cents worth.

Did this President actually think no one would do the math? Please send this to everyone on your list so people understand how idiotic a $100 million cut is in a $3.5 trillion budget – ludicrous!

“There are two ways to conquer and enslave a nation…
One is by sword…
The other is by debt.”
John Adams 1826

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Are you a Looter,

or a

Tax Slave?

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We Must Practice What He Preached

Posted on 13/02/2012 by Grumpa Joe
Jefferson Memorial in Washington D.C. with exc...

Image via Wikipedia

I love Thomas Jefferson. He is a model of conservatism. This list spells out his life and his wisdom. Every kid in the USA should memorize the brilliant quotes below. 

This is amazing. There are two parts. Be sure to read the 2nd part (in RED), which is his advice.

 Thomas Jefferson was a very remarkable man who started learning very early in life and never stopped.

At 5, began studying under his cousin’s tutor.

 At 9, studied Latin, Greek and French.

 At 14, studied classical literature and additional languages.

 At 16, entered the College of William and Mary.

 At 19, studied Law for 5 years starting under George Wythe.

 At 23, started his own law practice.

 At 25, was elected to the Virginia House of Burgesses.

 At 31, wrote the widely circulated “Summary View of the Rights of British America and retired from his law practice.

 At 32, was a Delegate to the Second Continental Congress.

 At 33, wrote the Declaration of Independence .

 At 33, took three years to revise Virginia ‘s legal code and wrote a Public Education bill and a statute for ReligiousFreedom.

 At 36, was elected the second Governor of Virginia , succeeding Patrick Henry.

 At 40, served in Congress for two years.

 At 41, was the American minister to France , and negotiated commercial treaties with European nations along with Ben Franklin and John Adams.

 At 46, served as the first Secretary of State under George Washington.

 At 53, served as Vice President and was elected president of the American Philosophical Society.

 At 55, drafted the Kentucky Resolutions, and became the active head of Republican Party.

 At 57, was elected the third president of the United States .

 At 60, obtained the Louisiana Purchase , doubling the nation’s size.

 At 61, was elected to a second term as President.

 At 65, retired to Monticello .

 At 80, helped President Monroe shape the Monroe Doctrine.

 At 81, almost single-handedly created the University of Virginia , and served as its first president.

 At 83, died on the 50th anniversary of the Signing of the Declaration of Independence, along with John Adams

 Thomas Jefferson knew because he himself studied the previous failed attempts at government. He understood actual history, the nature of God, his laws and the nature of man. That happens to be way more than what most understand today. Jefferson really knew his stuff. A voice from the past to lead us in the future:

 John F. Kennedy held a dinner in the white House for a group of the brightest minds in the nation at that time. He made this statement: “This is perhaps the assembly of the most intelligence ever to gather at one time in the White House with the exception of when Thomas Jefferson dined alone.”

 “When we get piled upon one another in large cities, as in Europe, we shall become as corrupt as Europe .” — Thomas Jefferson

 “The democracy will cease to exist when you take away from those who are willing to work and give to those who would not.” — Thomas Jefferson

 “It is incumbent on every generation to pay its own debts as it goes. A principle which if acted on would save one-half the wars of the world.”— Thomas Jefferson

 “I predict future happiness for Americans if they can prevent the government from wasting the labors of the people under the pretense of taking care of them.” — Thomas Jefferson

 “My reading of history convinces me that most bad government results from too much government.” — Thomas Jefferson

 “No free man shall ever be debarred the use of arms.” — Thomas Jefferson

 “The strongest reason for the people to retain the right to keep and bear arms is, as a last resort, to protect themselves against tyranny in government.”— Thomas Jefferson

 “The tree of liberty must be refreshed from time to time with the blood of patriots and tyrants.” — Thomas Jefferson

 “To compel a man to subsidize with his taxes the propagation of ideas which he disbelieves and abhors is sinful and tyrannical.”— Thomas Jefferson

 Thomas Jefferson said in 1802: “I believe that banking institutions are more dangerous to our liberties than standing armies. If the American people ever allow private banks to control the issue of their currency, first by inflation, then by deflation, the banks and corporations that will grow up around the banks will deprive the people of all property – until their children wake-up homeless on the continent their fathers conquered.”

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