Power tends to corrupt

and absolute power corrupts absolutely. Great men are almost always bad men. ~quotation by Lord Acton


I just recieved this in my e-mail, through the Kansans against NAIS group.

Don't let Congress stifle its critics

The legislation that Congress calls "lobbying reform" will really target small grassroots groups like DownsizeDC.org — groups that citizens use to communicate with Congress. ~click here for the entire article from DownsizeDC.org

My oh my. So the government that is for the people and by the people, want the people to shut up? How quickly we forget.


Gettysburg, Pennsylvania
November 19, 1863

Read in entirety here

It is rather for us to be here dedicated to the great task remaining before us -- that from these honored dead we take increased devotion to that cause for which they gave the last full measure of devotion -- that we here highly resolve that these dead shall not have died in vain -- that this nation, under God, shall have a new birth of freedom -- and that government of the people, by the people, for the people, shall not perish from the earth.

But now it seems to be perishing. We work hard, and try not to complain. Our government is voted in by us, they represent what we as a people want. But how long has it actually been since our government has done anything that we truly wanted? How long has it been only those with extreme amounts of wealth were not placed before those that don't? It has been a long while, I cannot recall seeing such an act {besides something coming from a first Lady} in my lifetime. I am sure it has happened, but not on the noticeable level and not without induced fear and lack of understanding by the people. They seem to have forgotten that we make the choices, their decisions should be based on what we desire, what the majority of well informed people deem necessary. Not on how scared and ill informed they can make us, and having us blindly follow them. They are not to be our leaders. They should be our companions, friends. Friends make suggestions, will tell you if you are wrong, but allow you to make your own decisions, not shut you up with force and do whatever they like in your name. We are the leaders, we chose them to make our overlapping words a cohesive symphony.

I fear it will take another Depression to get some to understand that their monetary gain is not that important. Comfort is a wonderful thing, money can at times pay you happiness, but what is the true expense of this bought happiness? Why should I push my fears onto other's on a mass scale. How much loyalty and devotion would I really receive by telling everyone we are all going to die unless we take these measure that mean the loss of your freedoms, the freedoms that other's lost their lives believing could out survive their families?

But then again, my above statement could be perceived as doing just that, scaring other's into thinking as I do. This is clearly my opinion of what I see around me. I am scared, but not scared of what my elected officials want me to be scared of. I am worried, but not worried about what my government tells me I should be worried about. I cherish and faithfully listen to my friends, I take their words into account before I make a decision that will affect me and other’s around me. If my decision is wrong, I take the responsibility for my actions and suffer the consequences and do my best not to drag the innocent down with me.

~removing the soapbox