Rest in the Peace of our Lord, Brianna Becker

Suddenly, without warning, a precious soul was taken from us.

Brianna Becker was simply taking a jog yesterday afternoon. In anticipation of taking the LSAT today, she was probably wanting to attend to her need to get some exercise and get ready for the big day on Saturday. She never returned from the jog. She was accidentally hit by a person pulling out of the parking garage as she jogged past. It was an terribly unfortunate situation and many of us grieve her passing.

Earlier in the day she had attended the Texas Public Policy Foundation luncheon featuring John Stossel where she must have relished in his 'spot on' critiques of where the liberal policies are taking our country. Many of us saw her smiling face earlier in the day. Brianna was always upbeat and always showing tireless energy for all things conservative and faithful.

Our earthly space is a little dimmer tonight without Brianna. May God welcome her home with His loving arms and give comfort to all of us remaining here on earth who are so sad tonight without her.

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Who Lied?

Phyllis Schlafly
Tuesday, September 15, 2009


The sanctimonious shock at Rep. Joe Wilson's, R-S.C., calling out, "You lie," when Barack Obama said the health care bill will not insure illegal aliens reminds me of the Casablanca police chief saying he was "shocked, shocked" to learn that gambling was taking place in the cafe.

Barack Obama's congressional pals had defeated the Republican amendment to require proof of legal residency in order to be covered by the health care bill, and the American people know that illegals are now getting free health care at emergency rooms.

The surprise was that nobody cried, "You lie," when Obama said, "Under our plan no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions." Anyone who follows this issue knows that all Democratic-sponsored bills cover abortion funding, and that the Hyde Amendment does not apply to the health care bill because it only prohibits federal taxpayer funding of abortions financed through Medicaid.

Obama promised Planned Parenthood that: "In my mind, reproductive care is essential care. It is basic care, and so it is at the center, and at the heart of the plan that I propose."

Obama also stated: "We're going to set up a public plan that all persons and all women can access if they don't have health insurance. It'll be a plan that will provide all essential services, including reproductive services." Nobody disputes the fact that "reproductive services" include elective abortions.

Obviously, the feminists in Obama's audience knew he was lying when he said that no federal dollars will be used to fund abortions. If they hadn't believed Obama was lying, the feminists from Nancy Pelosi to Barbara Boxer to Barbara Mikulski would have erupted in audible protest.

No way will the feminists allow Obama's health care "reform" to exclude payment for abortions-on-demand. The feminists have already demonstrated their considerable clout in the Obama administration, and abortion funding is central to their long-term and short-term goals.

Rush Limbaugh pointed out the media's hypocrisy about the use of the word lie: There was no outcry when the other Joe Wilson (Valerie Plame's husband) accused President George W. Bush of lying in his State of the Union Address to a joint session of Congress. Liberal etiquette decrees that it's OK to call Bush a liar, but not Obama, with whom the media, as Bernard Goldberg detailed in his most recent book, have "a slobbering love affair."

Obama told another lie when he claimed that the Democrats' health care plan does not set up "panels of bureaucrats" with the authority to withhold life-sustaining treatment from elderly patients. He compounded his lie by accusing anybody who talks about such death panels of "a lie, plain and simple" (which everybody recognized as a not-so-subtle reference to Sarah Palin).

Another lie in Obama's speech was saying that the plan does not jeopardize Medicare benefits that seniors currently receive. He plans to cut $500 billion out of Medicare "waste and inefficiency," which can't be done without reducing benefits.

Other lies in Obama's speech included his claim that the health care plan will not add to the deficit, that anyone who is satisfied with his current health plan can keep it and that his plan will not require raising taxes on people earning less than $250,000 a year.

The fundamental lie in all the Democrats' plans is the pretense that they can insure an additional 50 million people without increasing costs and/or without reducing benefits for the other 250 million people who are basically satisfied with their current health care. People are protesting at tea parties and town meetings because they realize this is not possible no matter how many passionate speeches Obama gives.

The tea party march down on Pennsylvania Avenue on Sept. 12 was not only impressive in its size (estimates range from 1 million to 2 million Americans) but also because of the messages on the handmade signs they carried. They proved the marchers were authentic grass-roots, not astroturf.

Here are some samples of the homemade signs that show the rising activism of We the People:
"The change I hoped for was freedom."
"Recycle Congress."
"1 czar down, 43 to go."
"Don't Tread on Me."
"You are not entitled to what I have earned."
"I love my country, but I'm scared of my government."
"Investigate ACORN."
"Your fair share is NOT in my wallet."
"Obamacare makes me sick." "I'm not your ATM."
"Nurses Against Obamacare."
"Abortion is not health care."
"Undocumented worker" (under picture of Obama).
"Congress pack your bags; you're going home in 2010."
"If you're not outraged, you're not paying taxes."
"Bolsheviks promised change, too."
And a sign carried by a 2-year-old child: "I owe $38,000."

Some signs were carried by immigrants:
"Latinos are conservative, too."
"I had enough socialism in the USSR."

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So why is everyone so upset?

So why is everyone so upset? Why are parents rebelling against a speech from the President piped into the classroom? Why are average citizens taking time off their jobs, creating messages on signs, driving to events to protest? Why are people outraged at the creation of three dozen ‘czars’ in the United States, of all places, not Russia… in charge of everything from cars to green energy? Well, as Dorothy might say in the Wizard of Oz “We’re not in Kansas anymore, Toto.”

We were promised Hope and Change. We were led to believe that a vote for Obama would rid us of politics as usual in Washington and a new transparency in our government. That seems like a very long time ago. The blush is off the rose, the emperor is wearing no clothes and it’s not just the simple observation of the young boy in the story noticing. Everyone who is looking honestly at their situation in America knows that things are not going well. One does not have to watch the Dow Jones Average or watch the polls to know that many have lost their jobs, others are fearful of loosing theirs and many cannot find work or have taken jobs below their capabilities to keep a roof over their head and feed the family.

Yes, the spontaneous out pouring of ordinary citizens who are literally taking it to the streets are expressing their concern, frustration and opinion about the leadership in Washington, starting in the White House, while being accused of being set up in a ‘manufactured’or ‘astro-turf’ activity in the rallies. The reaction from Pelosi and gang show just how truly out of touch they are with the citizens of this nation.

The courageous citizens posing questions to Congressmen and women home for the August recess were often met with scorn and arrogance. Our fellow Texan, Congresswoman Sheila Jackson Lee became the poster-child for arrogance as she took a cell phone call during a question from a constituent, and a cancer survivor in her town hall meeting in Houston. Yes, multitasking is necessary in DC. But showing disrespect to your constituents when not in DC can turn out to motivate many of your voters to keep you home in 2010.

It seems that the emotional reaction that Democrat Congressmen received in their home districts really surprised them. But with the ease with which information is available over the internet, many people back home came to the meetings better informed about the HB 3200 than most of the Congressional representatives. The chant “Read the Bill” emerged in many town halls and sidewalk protests.

Interestingly, the Republican Congressmen also held town halls. And reports back from Congressmen Michael McCaul , Lamar Smith and John Carter and showed a consistent pattern of 1) overflow crowds 2) well-informed attendees 3) respectful discussion and 4) standing ovations! Yes, the possibility of drastically changing a person’s health care and placing one more barrier between patients and their physicians has evoked strong emotions in many. And most agree that there need to be reforms, but don’t try to “fix” parts that are not broken. According to recent polls 80% of Americans are happy with their healthcare. But it is a critical situation when medical treatment is such a financial burden that people are going into bankruptcy to pay their medical bills. Reform is needed, but not on the grand scale of turning the whole delivery system on its head.

I will venture a guess about why everyone is so upset.

There is a real sense of urgency that our personal liberties are being significantly and quickly eroded. For many Americans, they raised an eyebrow when the bailouts started. They thought “Why does the government use MY tax dollars to give to an industry that made these mistakes?” Then when the take over of General Motors quickly followed some cried out “Foul Play!” and wondered if contracts and business agreements will be threatened in other industries. Then the rush for Cap and Trade got the blood pressure up with the notion that these limits could crater the economy and keep the United States from a global competitiveness. Now with the current push toward the radical reform of Health Care, crammed down the throats of unsuspecting Americans at such rapid pace, people started to say “Enough is ENOUGH!” Anyone who has been on the receiving end of a pushy salesman who insists that you have to make a hurry-up decision NOW is intuitively suspect.

I don’t think enough elected officials are standing up for the average Jane and Joe who are coming out to the rallies. Ones taking time off from their families and work, not the ones who are given matching shirts or screen printed signs or instruction about what to say when a question is being asked opposing the healthcare plan to drown out the opposition.

I am an elected official, officially saying to every American whether you identify yourself Republican, Democrat, Libertarian, Independent or just Fed Up: Thank you for standing UP, standing strong and speaking OUT for the principles that have made this country strong and that would be Life, Liberty and the Pursuit of Happiness. You do recognize that these treasured gifts might be taken away and you’re stepping to resist that with every breath in your body. Onward, fellow Patriots!

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