A Congress For the People…By the People….ummmm not so much…… #TransPacificPartnership #TPA

The Senate voted to give Obama “fast track” powers to passing the “Trans Pacific Partnership Bill” on Friday with a vote of 62 to 37.

On a day we celebrate those who have fallen to protect our individual liberties, I find it extremely concerning that our Senate would pass a bill-now headed to the House that completely shuts out WE THE PEOPLE!

What is the TPP? In short it is a bill that gives Obama accelerated authority to enter into a trade agreement with Pacific Rim countries -known as the Trans-Pacific Partnership. Sounds harmless right? I mean why am I flipping out over this?

Well, for starters WE THE PEOPLE are not allowed to know anything about it-that’s right ……did I time warp to the USSR!???

“For any senator who wants to study the draft TPP language, it has been made available in the basement of the Capitol, inside a secure, soundproof room. There, lawmakers surrender their cellphones and other mobile devices. Any notes taken inside the room must be left in the room.” NPR.org. Whaaaaaaaaaaaaat??? So wait a minute a Senator, who is to represent WE THE PEOPLE, can’t tell WE THE PEOPLE what’s in the Bill that they have now decided to pass???

This bill also includes TPA: Trade Promotion Authority which says Obama can submit a trade deal to Congress for an up or down vote with limited debate AND Congress can’t amend it, taking power away from Congress is taking power away from YOU and ME!

The Obama administration is keeping the information of the Bill in total secret, and prohibiting ANY discussion of the bill. Obama then is asking those that are critics of the Bill (Democrat Elizabeth Warren-who proposed a bill to disclose the info in the TPP to the public so that WE THE PEOPLE can know what’s in it, fyi: which was rejected) to name specifics of why they are critics of it………….ummmm hello, they can’t name specifics because they are being prohibited to speak specifically about it! Honestly!!! Have I entered Communist China??? Have I…..is this all a horrible dream??

Democratic Senator Sherrod Brown of Ohio said: “There is more access in most cases to CIA and Defense Department and Iran sanctions documents — better access to congressional staff and others — than for this trade agreement.”

This isn’t a partisan issue….this isn’t Republicans vs Democrats issue here….this is a violation of the Americans Rights to transparency!

Please…..for the love, don’t tell me that you trust our government to make the right call here!

I don’t care if this bill is about picking apples off an apple tree-WE THE PEOPLE should KNOW WHAT’S IN IT!!!!

For your info, these are the guys in the Senate that voted to give Obama MORE power and voted FOR the Trade Bill…..huh….I wonder what the House will do??

Tpp Bill

What Church is supposed to look like

I love this video and I thought I would share it with you all on this Sunday morning! It is a true depiction of what Church is supposed to look like and what Jesus intended it to be. If we had more of the Church Jesus desired for us in the world, I believe our world would be a much different place…..

It is not religion that changes the heart, it’s a relationship.

Lottery Winner here!

Just days ago Obama gave a speech at Georgetown University addressing Christian Faith leaders, that sparked a little controversy. Here’s what he said:

“The top 25 hedge-fund managers made more than all of the kindergarten teachers in the country. When I say that, I’m not saying that because I dislike hedge fund managers or I think they are evil, I’m saying that you’re paying a lower rate than a lot of folks who are making $300,000 every year. You pretty much have more than you’ll ever be able to use in your family will ever be able to use. There’s a fairness issue involved here and by the way, if we were able to close that loophole, I could not invest in early childhood education to make a difference. That’s where the rubber hits the road. That’s Arthur where the question of compassion and I’m my brother’s keeper comes into play. And if we can’t ask from society’s lottery winners to just make that modest investment, then really this conversation is for show. If we can’t ask that much— [ applause ].”

You can watch if you’d like:

Apparently if you are successful in this country, you are a “lottery winner.” This statement immediately reminded me of Obama’s statement back in 2012: “If you’ve got a business — you didn’t build that. Somebody else made that happen.”

This contempt that Obama has for success blows my mind! Fyi: Small businesses represent 99.7 percent of all employer firms. Since 1993, small businesses have generated 64 percent of new jobs, and they have also paid 43 percent of the total United States private payroll” –SBA.

I find it fascinating that some believe the government should dictate when enough wealth is enough.  Or that the government is to decide whether or not you have reached a point where you can’t spend all the money you’ve earned. To empower government to decipher who has enough and who doesn’t -is dangerous territory and this has been done throughout history by ruthless dictators. I also am amazed by those who think the government should be involved in making everything ‘fair.’ Life isn’t fair. If you want something, don’t go to the government to get it, go get it yourself! You see, Obama could have said: “being born in America IS winning the lottery,” but he didn’t- he went after the rich, the wealthy, the successful-all in the disguise of Biblical principles (“I’m my brother’s keeper”-Jesus was not saying “have the government look out for you and the poor” he commanded us to look out for each other, because that’s what Christianity is all about-there was no reference to government involvement!) Obama wants everyone on the same playing field….and this….this is Socialism, this is a Marxism ideology-essentially a Utopian society where everything is equal and fair and all needs are met.

Sounds splendid doesn’t it, we can debate the theology of Marxism but essentially you have to examine the countries and dictators that have implemented this ideology. According to Karl Marx there are steps that must be taken in order to make Marxism a reality:

1) Revolution,2) Dictatorship of the Proletariat, 3) Destruction of the Capitalist State, 4) Liquidation of the Bourgeoisie, 5) Creation of Socialism, 6) Creation of the New Socialist Man, 7) Withering Away of the State, and 8) Emergence of Communism

Marxism’s intent was to due away with human nature, but human nature is not something that can be done away with, it is human nature to acquire, conqueror, achieve and create. You can ignore and deny these characteristics all you want, but it’s innate. Marxism eliminates human nature, as well as the middle class: “You must, therefore, confess that by “individual” you mean no other person than the bourgeois (anyone obtaining property), than the middle-class owner of property. This person must indeed, be swept out of the way, and made impossible.” (The Schwarz Report). To ignore the fact that Communism kills, is ignorance as well as a complete denial of history. Let’s not forget that millions and millions were murdered under Marxism ideology -Stalin, Mao Tse-tung, and Pol Pot…..were just some who admired and adhered to Marxism.

You see the problem with Communism/Marxism/Socialism…..is it eliminates the individual. America is about the Individual and the individuals right to life, liberty and the pursuit (not guarantee) of happiness. America empowers the one, and that one empowers another……

Taking what someone else has rightfully earned and giving it to another is not empowering to any of those involved….what is accomplished in this? A leg up? Perhaps….but not a way of life. Living off of others is not freedom-it’s bondage. Creating a society for any individual to climb to the top is what America offers with the acknowledgment that some journeys are more challenging than others. One may detest Capitalism, but it is the only system that allows for someone to go from having nothing to having something all in the name of individual liberty.

Yes, there are some that got those 6 numbers and a power-ball right, but for most Americans who found success…..they dared to dream, but not just dream- they took action.

We don’t need another hero…..ummm yes…yes we do.

I just started watching “Hero’s” on Netflix. It was a popular show for years on NBC, but I didn’t watch it because I thought it was one of those teeny bopper shows (oh my gosh that makes me sound old….) -like the ones you’d see on the CW.

It is a really good show though, I just finished the first season and I highly recommend it!

What is it about a hero that inspires? What makes a hero?

If I had to define heroism, I’d say: “it’s the ability to be completely selfless, the willingness to sacrifice oneself-regardless of outcome (known or unknown) for the greater good.”

A man rushing to the seen of a car accident, a mom-up all night praying for her rebellious teenager, a firefighter heading straight into a burning building, a security guard standing up to a gunman. There is no guarantee that the hero’s act will end in their favor, and yet they act-they take that step, they take that leap, they react-without knowing the result.

We need more heroes.

We need more people that don’t need the “glory.”

A hero has no need for recognition, they don’t need an applause, in fact they don’t even want it. A heroes innate character is self sacrifice with unadulterated humility.

We have become a ‘me’ focused society, because of this -heroes are scarce…a rare breed even. The characteristics of heroism have become so foreign to our culture. In the world of “selfie” a hero just doesn’t make the headlines-but they don’t need headlines-nor do they want them. Man’s applause to them is arbitrary.

But these heroes are out there…..

They live among us. They are like you and they are like me….-yet they harbor that very unique rare quality…”this life is not about them.”

If you know a hero……consider yourself a very lucky and blessed individual….

….if you are a hero-Thank You….