I just had to make a comment!

Thursday-April 28, 2011

I just had to make a comment!

I have taken a few days off to perform some needed improvements to the site and to get some other business out of the way.

That does not mean that I have not been paying attention to many events that have unfolded this week.

The one single event that stands out in my mind is what happened yesterday. Yes, the turning over of the Presidents Birth Certificate. I am not a “birther”, but I have bought into the fact that something fishy just might have taken place. It could have been a simple failure of documentation or some other over site years ago that prevented the administration from making the birth certificate of President Obama public. I find it suspicious that this birth certificate did not exist, then through some bureaucrat in Hawaii, who bent the rules, the birth certificate was found and was released.

I was more interested in trying to convince some people that this is an important deal. There is the Constitution and we do know that the constitution means very little too many folks. In any case, I am glad the president put this to bed. However, I do not think the controversy is over. What leads to the birth of conspiracies is exactly what we have witnessed for nearly two and a half years with regard to this issue. The president let the issue boil over and it was only addressed when his polls took a significant dive in past weeks and with Donald Trump making an issue out of it. There is something inherently wrong and fishy with a guy that lets an issue of this import last for such a long time. The president said yesterda" we don’t have time to waste on these kinds of issues." He could have resolved it long ago, in my humble opinion, so that we didn’t waste time over this debate.

I wrote a few weeks ago that it is not the fact that he wasn’t born here, it is the fact that he let the issue of his birth hang out there for this long. This is what should be addressed now.

As we look for the winners and losers in this issue, I think Trump trumped the president! Some one said to me yesterday that he thought the president gave into the pressure by giving into the bully - the bully being Trump. The person I was talking to said that the "president should never have done what he did by giving into the demands of Trump the Bully." I said the president did exactly that, he gave in, what is so different by giving into Trump or any other bully in the world, this is what he does. This is his character. The only thing different here is that he didn’t offer an apology. This time his apology would have made all the difference in the world.

The other thing we should make note of is that, in the real world, power means everything. In our world, power comes from having wealth and position. In this case, Mr. Trump, who did trump the president, demonstrated that he can in business, and now in politics, buy and sell this president a hundred times over. Don’t think that this doesn’t matter. Mr. Trump has found the President’s weak spot. I believe many other world leaders have also found that same weak spot.

This story is not over. It is just the beginning!

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: HERACLITUS (c. 540 - c. 480 BC) – The Greek philosopher said:
"A man's character is his fate."

The way forward:

April 25, 2011

The way forward:

I am taking a few days off to update the website, so that I can tie together the necessary elements to move Pinecone Conservatives forward.

There are many elements that go into making a functional organization so that the mission can be accomplished and that others can understand the meaning behind the effort. I have been writing and laying out the meaning of conservative thought and action for nearly two years. I will continue the daily FORUM and will now be able to initiate the next steps through the FORUM and the functional side of the site.

The message I have been concentrating on is how our forefathers initiated the necessary action to move ahead with a movement for Independence. I have written about the meaning of liberty and freedom, as it relates to current events and how the words of history can still be applied.

I do not view myself as an arm chair academic. I view myself as someone with a voice and someone that wants do to something little in the bigger effort of maintaining our liberty and freedom through the prism of history and the strength that it takes to maintain what our forefathers laid out as a plan and the way forward for the nation.

This week, I could write about the budget fight just over the horizon. Or I could write about a cowardly president calling the Republican budget plan cowardly, before a group of young people who don’t know the first thing about our history and what cowards do when they label others cowards.

I could write about how the president is using a scripted story to demonize those who truly want to reform the country so that it remains strong, instead of weakening the country through the entitlements that have bankrupted all that is good in the American spirit.

I could be writing about how the Middle East is a continuing threat to our freedom and our economy, because of our dependence on foreign oil. I could write how we should be exploiting our own energy reserves and put an economic pinch on the Middle East with lost American revenue.

I know I would have written about the continued dwindling value of the dollar and how inflation is now taking more of our disposable income. I would have told you that oil companies profits have nothing to do with inflation. The president will use the oil profit picture as a diversion, so that new inflationary pressures that are a result of his spending and his economic policies will not be talked about.

I know that I would have written about the story of Sybil Ludington, a 16 year old girl who rode from New York to Connecticut in a harrowing 40 mile journey rallying her father’s militia on April 26, in the year 1777. I would have written about her bravery and how most of us lack the bravery that Sybil displayed on that April ride. She was no coward and she knew the mission.

I know that I would have written about the President’s ability to project his bravery from being that arm chair academic. Sitting in the arm chair is far different from being on that horse signaling the warning and asking ordinary people to be brave and fight for the independence and freedom that people like Sybil Ludington called for.

So, I am taking a few days. I hope that when I am done I get a little closer to gaining the strength and mounting the saddle that came easy to 16 year old Sybil Ludington.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: The story of Sybil Ludington was buried in the footnote of history. However, like many stories in our fight for independence her story can once again be told and can once again inspire all of us to consider the way forward. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sybil_Ludington)

Good Friday!

Friday-April 22, 2011

Good Friday!

As we eagerly await Easter Sunday and the coming spring flowers, I am thinking this Good Friday about the trials and the tribulations that our country finds itself. Some do not believe in the resurrection and some question it. For me, I believe, because I am beginning to see the wonders and the greatness that our God has planted within all of us.

Religion is a part of our history and the history of religion is a chronicle of man. It also chronicles the brief shining moments that our country has witnessed, because of it’s greatness.

Today, I would like to chronicle a little bit of history, as it relates to religion in our country’s history, as spoken by some of its greatest men.

The First Charter of Virginia (granted by King James I, on April 10, 1606)• We, greatly commending, and graciously accepting of, their Desires for the Furtherance of so noble a Work, which may, by the Providence of Almighty God, hereafter tend to the Glory of his Divine Majesty, in propagating of Christian Religion to such People, as yet live in Darkness and miserable Ignorance of the true Knowledge and Worship of God…Instructions for the Virginia Colony (1606) Lastly and chiefly the way to prosper and achieve good success is to make yourselves all of one mind for the good of your country and your own, and to serve and fear God the Giver of all Goodness, for every plantation which our Heavenly Father hath not planted shall be rooted out.

William Bradford• wrote that they [the Pilgrims] were seeking: • 1) "a better, and easier place of living”; and that “the children of the group were being drawn away by evil examples into extravagance and dangerous courses [in Holland]“• 2) “The great hope, and for the propagating and advancing the gospel of the kingdom of Christ in those remote parts of the world" The Mayflower Compact (authored by William Bradford) 1620 “Having undertaken, for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith, and honor of our King and Country, a voyage to plant the first colony in the northern parts of Virginia, do by these presents solemnly and mutually, in the presence of God, and one of another, covenant and combine our selves together…”

John Adams and John Hancock: We Recognize No Sovereign but God, and no King but Jesus! [April 18, 1775]


John Adams:“ The general principles upon which the Fathers achieved independence were the general principals of Christianity… I will avow that I believed and now believe that those general principles of Christianity are as eternal and immutable as the existence and attributes of God.”• “[July 4th] ought to be commemorated as the day of deliverance by solemn acts of devotion to God Almighty.”–John Adams in a letter written to Abigail on the day the Declaration was approved by Congress

"We have no government armed with power capable of contending with human passions unbridled by morality and religion. Avarice, ambition, revenge, or gallantry, would break the strongest cords of our Constitution as a whale goes through a net. Our Constitution was made only for a moral and religious people. It is wholly inadequate to the government of any other." --October 11, 1798

"I have examined all religions, as well as my narrow sphere, my straightened means, and my busy life, would allow; and the result is that the Bible is the best Book in the world. It contains more philosophy than all the libraries I have seen." December 25, 1813 letter to Thomas Jefferson

"Without Religion this World would be something not fit to be mentioned in polite Company, I mean Hell." [John Adams to Thomas Jefferson, April 19, 1817]

Samuel Adams:
“He who made all men hath made the truths necessary to human happiness obvious to all… Our forefathers opened the Bible to all.” [ "American Independence," August 1, 1776. Speech delivered at the State House in Philadelphia]“ Let divines and philosophers, statesmen and patriots, unite their endeavors to renovate the age by impressing the minds of men with the importance of educating their little boys and girls, inculcating in the minds of youth the fear and love of the Deity… and leading them in the study and practice of the exalted virtues of the Christian system.” [October 4, 1790]

John Quincy Adams:• “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the world, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day [the Fourth of July]?" “Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the Gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer's mission upon earth? That it laid the cornerstone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity"?--1837, at the age of 69, when he delivered a Fourth of July speech at Newburyport, Massachusetts.

“The Law given from Sinai [The Ten Commandments] was a civil and municipal as well as a moral and religious code.”John Quincy Adams. Letters to his son. p. 61

Benjamin Franklin: “God governs in the affairs of man. And if a sparrow cannot fall to the ground without his notice, is it probable that an empire can rise without His aid? We have been assured in the Sacred Writings that except the Lord build the house, they labor in vain that build it. I firmly believe this. I also believe that, without His concurring aid, we shall succeed in this political building no better than the builders of Babel” –Constitutional Convention of 1787 original manuscript of this speech

“In the beginning of the contest with Britain, when we were sensible of danger, we had daily prayers in this room for Divine protection. Our prayers, Sir, were heard, and they were graciously answered… do we imagine we no longer need His assistance?” [Constitutional Convention, Thursday June 28, 1787]

In Benjamin Franklin's 1749 plan of education for public schools in Pennsylvania, he insisted that schools teach "the Excellency of the Christian religion above all others, ancient or modern."
In 1787, when Franklin helped found Benjamin Franklin University, it was dedicated as "a nursery of religion and learning, built on Christ, the Cornerstone."

Patrick Henry:"Orator of the Revolution." • This is all the inheritance I can give my dear family. The religion of Christ can give them one which will make them rich indeed.”—The Last Will and Testament of Patrick Henry

“It cannot be emphasized too clearly and too often that this nation was founded, not by religionists, but by Christians; not on religion, but on the gospel of Jesus Christ. For this very reason, peoples of other faiths have been afforded asylum, prosperity, and freedom of worship here.” [May 1765 Speech to the House of Burgesses]
“The Bible is worth all other books which have ever been printed.”

Thomas Paine:“ It has been the error of the schools to teach astronomy, and all the other sciences, and subjects of natural philosophy, as accomplishments only; whereas they should be taught theologically, or with reference to the Being who is the author of them: for all the principles of science are of divine origin. Man cannot make, or invent, or contrive principles: he can only discover them; and he ought to look through the discovery to the Author.” “ The evil that has resulted from the error of the schools, in teaching natural philosophy as an accomplishment only, has been that of generating in the pupils a species of atheism. Instead of looking through the works of creation to the Creator himself, they stop short, and employ the knowledge they acquire to create doubts of his existence. They labour with studied ingenuity to ascribe every thing they behold to innate properties of matter, and jump over all the rest by saying, that matter is eternal.” “The Existence of God--1810”

George Washington:

Farewell Address: The name of American, which belongs to you, in your national capacity, must always exalt the just pride of Patriotism, more than any appellation derived from local discriminations. With slight shades of difference, you have the same religion" ...and later: "...reason and experience both forbid us to expect, that national morality can prevail in exclusion of religious principle..."

“It is impossible to rightly govern the world without God and Bible.”

“What students would learn in American schools above all is the religion of Jesus Christ.” [speech to the Delaware Indian Chiefs May 12, 1779]

"To the distinguished character of patriot, it should be our highest glory to add the more distinguished character of Christian" [May 2, 1778, at Valley Forge]

During his inauguration, Washington took the oath as prescribed by the Constitution, but added several religious components to that official ceremony. Before taking his oath of office, he summoned a Bible on which to take the oath, added the words “So help me God!” to the end of the oath, then leaned over and kissed the Bible.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives
A footnote: Take a moment on this Good Friday to give thanks and a blessing to someone close.

Just a little balance:

Thursday-April 21, 2011

Just a little balance:

On today’s date, in 1789, John Adams was sworn in as this country’s first Vice President. His swearing in was nine days before President Washington’s swearing in as the nation’s first President.

In that period of history, these two men saw great difference in what the nation’s government was responsible for and how it should be organized. In that period of history, there was a party system, but not the two party system that we have today. The president was elected on a separate ticket from the Vice President. There were factions in the government that fought for certain principles that would have a far reaching impact on today’s politics.

The Federalist Party was an American political group in the period 1787 to 1816, the era of the First Party System, with its remnants lasting into the 1820s. The Federalists controlled the federal government until 1801. The party was formed by Alexander Hamilton, who, during George Washington's first term, built a network of supporters, largely urban bankers and businessmen, to support his fiscal policies. These supporters grew into the Federalist Party committed to a fiscally sound and nationalistic government. The United States' only Federalist president was John Adams; although George Washington was broadly sympathetic to the Federalist program, he remained an independent his entire presidency. The Federalist policies called for a national bank, tariffs, and good relations with Britain as expressed in the Jay Treaty negotiated in 1794. Their political opponents, the Democratic-Republicans, led by Thomas Jefferson and James Madison, denounced most of the Federalist policies, especially the bank, and vehemently attacked the Jay Treaty as a sell-out of republican values to the British monarchy. The Jay Treaty passed, and indeed the Federalists won most of the major legislative battles in the 1790s. They held a strong base in the nation's cities and in New England. The Democratic-Republicans, with their base in the rural South, won the hard-fought election of 1800; the Federalists never returned to power. The Federalists, too wedded to an upper-class style to win the support of ordinary voters, grew weaker every year. They recovered some strength by intense opposition to the War of 1812; they practically vanished during the Era of Good Feelings that followed the end of the war in 1815.

The Federalists left a lasting imprint as they fashioned a strong new government with a sound financial base. They also decisively shaped Supreme Court policies for another three decades through the Chief Justice John Marshall.

On taking office in 1789, President Washington nominated New York lawyer Alexander Hamilton to the office of Secretary of the Treasury. Hamilton wanted a strong national government with financial credibility. Hamilton proposed the ambitious Hamiltonian economic program that involved assumption of the state debts incurred during the Revolutionary War, creating a national debt and the means to pay it off, and setting up a national bank. James Madison, Hamilton's ally in the fight to ratify the United States Constitution, joined with Thomas Jefferson in opposing Hamilton's program.

By 1790, Hamilton started building a nationwide coalition. Realizing the need for vocal political support in the states, he formed connections with like-minded nationalists and used his network of treasury agents to link together friends with all parties in the government, especially merchants and bankers, in the new nation's dozen major cities. His attempts to manage politics in the national capital to get his plans through Congress, then, "brought strong responses across the country. In the process, what began as a capital faction soon assumed status as a national faction and then, finally, as the new Federalist party.

Today, the Democratic Party can say they found their roots with the Federalist Party. Today, the Republicans can say they were born from Jefferson’s Democratic - Republican Party. Today’s political roots can be traced back to the first inauguration and the first inhabitants of the office of President. Adams found himself to be a strong advocate of the Federalists and Washington found a balance in his leadership to be independent of the Federalist throughout his entire presidency.

Today, we find ourselves at a crossroads, not only with party politics, but with the politics of balance in the political policy of the two parties. Today, we find ourselves trying to balance the financial policies of the country. Today, one party sees the government as the arbitrator and as owner of the nations industries. Today, one party sees the government’s involvement in business as a regulatory agent of destruction. Today, both parties see the government’s deficit spending as necessary. The difference is the degree at which it spends and the degree at which debts are paid off.

In Washington and Adams day, the government spent the nation’s wealth. However, the government was set up to repay it through a national bank. The balance of governing came through the practice of paying the nations debt when it had to borrow. In those days spending was driven by what the federal government took in, in the way of tariffs and fair taxation policies.

Today our nation’s fiscal policies are driven by the world economy. In our early history our economy was driven by what we produced and the resulting trade with other countries. Not to different from today except that our dollar is now vulnerable due to our debt. There is no balance in the debt until we can decide on a policy to balance our fiscal policy and satisfy the world’s money markets.

Our 14 trillion dollar debt would be unimaginable to Washington and even to Adams who was a Federalist. There is doubt in the credit worthiness of the United States Treasury. There are no dependable signs of balance in the treasury and that is why the value of our dollar is going down. When the value of Gold and Silver goes up or spikes inflation is not far behind. When our dollar’s value goes down the price of oil goes up because our dollar doesn’t go as far in its purchasing power. The price of fuel at the pump also goes up as it is today.

Without a balanced balance sheet there can be no balance in the nation’s debt. When the nation is in debt the Democrats can’t spend. When the nation is in debt the Republicans can’t find a way to save the nations wealth.

Federalist or Democrat, Democrat-Republican or Republican, Washington and Adams had balance, because the policy of balance was achieved.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: It took a little time to balance my thoughts today, but I had to find the balance in history so that I could write about the importance of balancing our balance sheet.

Shared responsibility:

Wednesday-April 20, 2011

Shared responsibility:

The President begins a series of town hall meetings this week. This is in response to the lowering of America’s credit rating.

It was only a question of time that this warning became a reality. We have the worst deficit situation, next to Japan, of all the industrialized countries in the world. We have a worst deficit record than Great Britain, France, Canada and Australia. Our spending on entitlements has been the main cause of this, because it is now viewed as being out of control.

The Standard and Poors action of lowering the credit rating from stable to negative is a significant downgrade. The debt situation is now being viewed as only getting worse. As the Standard and Poors looks into the future they are saying that we are now a risk.

A few statistics, The U.S. debt ceiling is 44% more than China’s total economic output. The debt ceiling has been raised three times during the Obama administration. The raising of this ceiling has also occurred at unprecedented rates during past administrations. However, the climb recently under Obama has been a sharp rise in comparison. The Federal deficit as a percent of the GDP is estimated to be almost 11% in 2011 a full percent higher than 2010. The public debt has increased by an average of $4.4 billion per day since President Obama took office. The CBO estimates the public debt under the Presidents budget will reach 75% of GDP by 2013.

All of this comes at a time when the economy is on an upward swing. With the lowering of the credit rating to that of a negative will result in higher interest rates on the money that we must borrow. A good deal for our creditor’s, but a bad deal for America.

The president will say that his plan will cure the deficit. He says that we must reduce the spending in Washington D.C. But what the common American forgets when they hear the rhetoric is that this President is responsible for all of this. He speaks of compassion and sacrifice. Why should this make us feel any better? It only angers me, because I see through the rhetoric and I know what these buzz words are meant to invoke by his constituency. When President Bush used the term “Compassionate Conservatism” the press railed on him and the democrats scoffed at the notion. The word compassion was used against them. The President now uses the word compassion for political gain. They will use the word as a precursor to raising taxes. The compassion the president speaks of then is put upon working Americans.

Nancy Pelosi is on her speaking tour saying that the Republicans plan will reduce and/or end Medicare all together. The truth is, is that the Republican plan will continue to currently cover all seniors while changing the way the cost is covered on new enrollees in future years. Pelosi also said, in front of the same group of minority seniors, that the Republican plan gives billions to big oil, while seniors suffer. These comments are another reason why the country does not look like a good risk any longer. These comments are designed to invoke anger and keep this class of minority seniors fearful. This is not politics it is demagoguery. This is not being truthful with a constituency. It is lying to the constituency who don’t any better.

The President filed his tax returns, as many Americans did on Monday. But what these groups that his message is now aimed at, don’t know, is that the President made $1.73 million last year. He made this amount primarily off his book sales. I should be so lucky. I do not fault him for making the money. The President had to borrow money to go to the Democratic National Convention, when he fist became a senator. He is living the American dream, but he is not paying the price for his bad decisions. He says we must all sacrifice that we must all pay just a little more to help our fellow man. What the groups don’t know when they are being assaulted by his lies is that he saved $100,000 in taxes due to the Bush Tax cuts. He also got a $12,000 refund!

Do the minority seniors who live on Social Security know about the money that he saved in taxes while complaining that the wealthiest Americans don’t pay enough? It is this kind of hypocrisy that prevents any politician form doing what is right. It is this kind of hypocrisy that has gotten us into the debt crisis that we are now in. It is this kind of hypocrisy and lack of understanding on the part of Americans that gives us a 14 trillion dollar deficit. It is this kind of hypocrisy that can only come from the constituents of the Democratic Party and a president like Barack Obama.

Until we rid our selves of politicians on both sides that seem to practice hypocrisy without any compassion and any shared sacrifice we will never get out of the debt crisis.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: If it were as simple as sharing the responsibility I would be all for it. I refuse to share in the responsibility when I am told to do as I say, not as I do.

1775, the first shot!

Tuesday-April 19, 2011

1775, the first shot!

When you sit back and take in all that is occurring around the world and in our world we call the United States of America, what do you think of?

When our forefathers sat back at the end of their day and talked about what was going on in our country, they formulated an idea of just what they wanted. It didn’t include an environmental lobby, it didn’t include what Russia wanted in terms of domination, it didn’t include Hamas and Islamic terrorism, it didn’t include guys like George Soros and it, for sure, didn’t include a government that robbed from productive citizens only to redistribute that wealth to a segment of society that government made dependent on food stamps and welfare.

When we consider the story of how we gained our liberty and for what reasons we wanted liberty, can you say, for sure, that Americans still understand what that struggle was about today. Can you say, for sure, that we shouldn’t keep that struggle ongoing today?

When we formed our nation, it was formed from raw courage and not from a dependency on government. It was formed in the belief that there was a higher meaning for worship. When we formed our country, the struggle was over freedom and the purity of thought that was attached to the meaning of liberty. When the country was formed, there was no talk about tax brackets or entitlement programs. When we formed our government, we didn’t have a two party system and we didn’t have one party that was working against all that is good.

When we formed our government, we formed it to stay true to a Constitution and not oversee the wealth of a great nation, only to manage its demise. When we formed our government, we didn’t worry about the government expanding into every facet of our lives through taxation, through regulation and through the loss of liberty and freedom from men who would reshape the foundation of what the founding was all about.

When w e formed our government, we knew the value of what a strong economy was. We valued good credit and we didn’t overspend, only to print false money that is not backed up by independent wealth. When we formed our country, government encouraged private wealth and encouraged private business to create jobs. When our government was formed, it was formed by the hands and the mind of entrepreneurs.

When our country and government were formed, they were formed to grow a union of citizens. They were not formed to broaden a labor union, so that only one political party could derive strength.

On today’s date, in 1775, Minuteman Captain John Parker orders not to fire, unless fired upon. The American Revolution started at Lexington Common and is known as “the shot heard ‘round the world.” It was the shot that other countries and other people around the world wanted to join and it was the shot that brought honor to a country which brought freedom to its people.

Today, with a massive government and a new breed of leaders who do not think they are accountable and who think they have the power to reshape a country’s destiny have forgotten what their ancestors gave to them. Today, our country’s financial credit has been called into question. Our leaders should be held responsible for what the Standard & Poors has now rated that once envied U S economy.

In his commentary, Mark Wittington said, “Despite running huge budget deficits, the United States has always enjoyed the highest bond rating possible, 'AAA/A-1+’ according to Standards & Poors. But that rating has a one in three chance of ending, thanks to President Barack Obama.
While reaffirming the high rating, Standards & Poors lowered its future outlook for the United States' credit worthiness from "stable" to "negative." The United States retains a relatively strong economy, but $1.5 trillion deficits have got the bond traders increasingly concerned. Thus the United States government has been put on notice. Fix the deficit, start paying down the $14 trillion debt, or else see the credit rating of the United States downgraded.

The warning that Standards & Poors has issued is sobering and should light a fire under the congress and the president to get the United States' fiscal house in order. A downgrade in the credit rating of the U.S. government would mean that the federal government would have to pay higher interest rates to sell its debt. That in turn would widen the federal deficit that, if not addressed swiftly and ruthlessly, could result in further downgrades, more deficits, and thus a death spiral for the American economy.

History suggests that absent a solution there are just two scenarios at the end of the process.
One involves chaos and anarchy, which would not just be confined to the United States since the world economy is so interdependent. Mark Steyn, the author and media personality, once joked that it could get to be a Mad Max style scenario if something is not done.

The other scenario is dictatorship. If the institutions of democracy are unable to deal with the debt crisis, someone will step in and do it without the tools of democracy. A similar thing happened to the Roman Republic with the advent of the Caesars. It also happened to the Weimer Republic with the advent of Hitler.

Standards & Poors has thus done the country a great service. The deficit, for as long as can be remembered, has been a kind of abstraction, something politicians worried about or used to point fingers at one another. Standards & Poors now suggests it is about to have real world consequences, which will be bad beyond imagining.”
Today, our leaders should not be allowed to escape their responsibility and should be held accountable for the loss of our wealth and our country’s lowered financial standing.

The shot of freedom that I am writing about has vanished from the American landscape of thought and conscience. When we tolerate a government and a class of people who think they have a claim on other people’s wealth, we then have forgotten what the “shot heard ‘round the world” meant to the continuing greatness of a country based on principal and the wealth of the founding fathers ideals.

Gregory C. Dildilian
Founder and Executive Director
Pinecone Conservatives

A footnote: One last question, do you think guys like Washington, Henry, Jefferson, and Revere would have stood for the antics of this president and the likes of guys like George Soros. I ask; where are these type of leaders - we need them today?

The ride!

Monday – April 18, 2011 The ride! On today’s date, in 1775, Paul Revere and William Dawes warn that the “British are coming!” Today, 236 years ago, Paul Revere rode from Charleston to Lexington. Today is tax day. Today the Federal Government takes our money and it gives money back to those who don’t pay their fair share in tax. Today, the Federal Government takes the tax payers money and does with it what it may. As we consider the ride that was made 236 years ago, we must also consider the ride that we are being taken on today. It is a far different ride that signaled the warning of an encroaching enemy. The ride today is one that is confusing and one that the riders do not see an end to. Over the next few weeks, we will hear the debate over raising our taxes and spending our tax dollars. We will hear the liberal make the argument that higher taxes will create the jobs that will make America prosper. Today, consider the promises of jobs that have been made by the President and consider the results of his presidency. Today, consider why we fought for our independence. Today, consider who among us would be this century’s Paul Revere? Today, consider the tax that is placed on just about everything we buy and everything we do. Today, consider how we got here. Today, consider why the President gets away with the things he does and consider that if another president were still in office, he wouldn’t. Today, consider that this might be the warning that Paul Revere would cry. Today, consider that our cumulative annual deficit under Bush was 2% of GDP. Today, consider why it is now 10% of GDP under Obama. Today, consider why the public debt under Bush was 36% of GDP and now under Obama it is 67% of GDP. Today, consider what will be the case ten years out, under Obama. He will have a 20 trillion dollar deficit. That will equate to 89% of our GDP. Today, remember what you were taught about the GDP in your Junior High School economics class. While you consider the question and importance of the GDP, consider what rising gas prices do to the GDP. Consider that 18 cents of every gallon of gas you buy goes to the Federal Government. Consider, depending on which state you live in, between 15 and 90 cents per gallon goes to your States Government. Consider when the president says that he will save a trillion dollars under his deficit reduction plan some of the experts say it will only save 315 billion. Today, when you check the gas price at the gas station, ask yourself why we aren’t drilling at home and, if we were, how much more disposable income you might have? Consider that our economy cannot afford to give billions to an oil cartel and to foreign nations that are working against our nation and consider that the rise in a barrel of oil is one more nail in our financial coffin. Today, consider all the empirical evidence that says that when you lower taxes more revenue comes into the federal government. Today, consider that, since Herbert Hoover, the Democrats have been in control of Congress 78% of the time. Today, consider that a tax and spend Congress and a tax and spend liberal president is something we cannot afford any longer. Today, consider how that impacts our liberty and our freedom. Today, consider Paul Revere making the ride and consider what that ride stood for! Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: Henry Wadsworth Longfellow wrote: Listen my children and you shall hearOf the midnight ride of Paul Revere, On the eighteenth of April, in Seventy-five; - Hardly a man is now alive -Who remembers that famous day and year. To read the complete poem of Paul Reveres ride go to: http://poetry.eserver.org/paul-revere.html

A few quotes to read:

Friday – April 15, 2011 A few quotes to read: Today, I had to take a break from writing, so I am ending the FORUM this week with a few quotes by a few of our Founding Fathers. When I consider the double talk and what we are not supposed to talk about I fear that the truth will be lost. When I consider the spending habits of our leaders and ask why, I am considered a radical. When I consider that we are not supposed to talk about questionable relationships based on fact and begin to tell that story I am considered to be conspiratorial. When I consider the public debates over the past few weeks and see just how far this country has gotten from our original set of principals and our original founding documents I take solitude that the words of the founders can still be read. Unfortunately, they are not heard. George Washington said: “A primary object should be the education of our youth in the science of government. In a republic, what species of knowledge can be equally important? And what duty more pressing... than ... communicating it to those who are to be the future guardians of the liberties of the country” Patrick Henry said: “Guard with jealous attention the public liberty. Suspect everyone who approaches that jewel.” Charles Carroll said: “Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime and pure (and) which insures to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.” Thomas Payne said:” A little matter will move a party, but it must be something great that moves a nation.” Benjamin Franklin said: “If by the liberty of the press were understood merely the liberty of discussing the propriety of public measures and political opinions, let us have as much of it as you please: But if it means the liberty of affronting, calumniating and defaming one another, I, for my part, own myself willing to part with my share of it, whenever our legislators shall please so to alter the law and shall chearfully consent to exchange my liberty of abusing others for the privilege of not being abused myself.” Alexander Hamilton said: “A feeble executive implies a feeble execution of the government. A feeble execution is but another phrase for a bad execution; and a government ill executed, whatever may be its theory, must be, in practice, a bad government.” Take some of these thoughts and inform our leaders what you have read. Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: These are the words we need to hear today. Yesterday I wrote about the same old song. I wish these words were that same old song today!

The same old song!

Thursday – April 14, 2011 The same old song! Where is the reform? Where is the economy of a strong fiscal deficit reduction program? We got the pomp and the ceremony and unfortunately, it ended with the same old song. The president played the same old name blame game. The president surprised few and confirmed the worst fears of many, yesterday, when he gave his non-prime time speech at George Washington University. He was disingenuous and he accomplished the goal of playing to his left wing buddies. We have heard all the pros and all the cons of the president’s plan. We heard the words of Lincoln. We have heard from the Republicans and the Democrats. No surprise in their comments. It is right versus left. This was the first speech of his 2012 presidential campaign. He demonized business, while at the same time allowing laws to continue that eliminate taxes on profits from corporate overseas earnings, some of which have contributed heavily to the Democratic Party. For example, General Electric has made millions in overseas profits, because the law says they are exempt from paying millions in taxes. The president wants the rich to pay more in taxes. This part of the old song will not work, because we have fewer richer people than we did six years ago. How can we say to future generations that we want to strategically invest in their future and at the same time give them the bill for the choices this government makes on their behalf? This is the definition of what deficit spending is. The latest retail sales numbers were released yesterday. The new figures are the lowest in nine months. This is a sure sign that consumers are now holding on to their cash and not spending their cash in stores. I believe that we are now entering a stagflation cycle like we had in the 70’s. Remember Jimmy Carter’s approach to the economy? It’s the same old song that was sung then, as we heard it sung yesterday. There were 412,000 new weekly jobless claims last week up by 27,000. I heard an interview with Congresswoman Eddie Bernice Johnson yesterday. She is a Democrat from the State of Texas. It was the most inane unstructured presentation of the facts that I have ever heard. Her use of the English language was alarming and it was a symptom of the illogical approach that we have by office holders that design our laws and vote to pass our laws. It was the same old song of progressive liberals that get to remain in office by giving away our prosperity to keep certain Americans dependant and in need of government services all for what, a voting base that continues to rob from our posterity. What we heard yesterday was just politics, with no desire to save the union and save the fiscal strength of our country. The president’s speech and his policies are irresponsible because they will lead to a diminished future by exploiting fears of the weak. The president had a moment in time yesterday where he could have made a difference. But as we all saw it was the same old song. This time he was really absent. Even the Vice President was caught on tape napping while the speech was singing the same old song. The president in essence said that he favors punishing achievement. He in essence said that he is on the same course that he started on when he became president. He says he has learned but he keeps singing the same old song. The new budget that he House Progressives released is called the People’s Budget. The question I have is: what kind of people are we? Are we going to let the government take away our wealth and property, because some others deserve access? What kind of people allows their government to come up with a People’s Budget that strips wealth away from the producers? What kind of people encourages the politics of envy and encourages class warfare? What kind of people blindly follow elected officials? What kind of politician can blindly lie to a constituency through false statistics with a false premise? They are called Progressive Liberals. I heard nothing but hyperbolae and platitudes from the president and unfortunately, from many who spoke yesterday. It’s the same old song. This country is broke. This country must reign in its spending today and not tomorrow. We can no longer kick the can down the road singing the same old song. Americans should ask and demand that there be transparency in all government spending going forward. We should not blindly pay our taxes and let the crooks say they are investing in our future. A few things to consider: We should insist that government spending goes back to the spending levels of 2008 for five years and cut redundant programs to eliminate wasted cost. This approach would keep the debt ceiling from going up when it becomes a convenient excuse to borrow more money. We should insist on a flat tax or a consumption tax, or have a three bracket tax system, that has the rich paying a bit more than the poor pay, every one must pay their fair share of tax. This would reduce every loop hole in the tax code and eliminate the 48% of Americans that don’t pay one cent of tax to the federal government. We should insist that the government give vouchers for healthcare and let the market compete for business through quality service and cost. We should revamp the social security system that give moor benefits to the very poor and that gives less to the very rich. This includes Medicare and Medicaid. These are just a few things to consider that would put our financial house in order. We are just as guilty in singing that same old song when we let the same old politics play out for another generation to bail out. If this were 235 years ago our government would have been shown the exit doors yesterday by way of the pitch fork. Where are the Americans that knew the difference from a government that hides the facts for its own benefit and that could articulate what the real facts are that threatens our liberties today? Patrick Henry said: “The liberties of a people never were, nor ever will be, secure, when the transactions of their rulers may be concealed from them.” Need I say more! Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: The Political song should be for the betterment of the country and not for the betterment of self or party by those that serve. This is something that our next President should insist upon!

Don't hold on to your breath:

Wednesday – April 13, 2011 Don’t hold on to your breath: When does a tax increase not become a tax increase? When does deficit spending not become deficit spending? When does reducing the cost and size of government not become reductions? The president will make an attempt to answer these questions and more at 1:30 pm today, not prime time! The President will take to the airwaves this afternoon and announce his vision for deficit reduction. He will tell us what his plans are for the country and how his administration will put an end to inefficient government and how we will all benefit from his objective of central planning and redistribution of our wealth. This might all seem like the same old rhetoric from me, but I can assure you that the rhetoric from the President is a bit more serious than mine. What the President won’t tell you is that there is approximately 2 trillion dollars in revenue that will come into the government coffers next year and it is expected that the government will spend about 3.7 trillion dollars next year. This is why we have a 14 trillion dollar deficit! I understand that he will also announce a new tax increase. His plan will call for a tax increase, because the President says the economy is now ready for one. The economy is growing and the rich must now pay their fair share according to Democrats. The new tax rate or the FICA tax of those that make over one hundred and six thousand dollars will be 90%. In other words, any dollar over the hundred and six thousand figure will have a tax of ninety cents you get to keep 10 cents of every dollar over a hundred and six thousand. This approach will only satisfy his base and bring more misery to all. This approach will take into account some of the debt commission’s recommendations. However, the more “radical” recommendations as the liberal is now describing them will not be considered. It used to be that the liberal was considered the radical. Do you see how the liberal has just changed the paradigm? Don’t hold your breath on the President doing anything that is right for America except the minority of about 28% of the people in this country. That in it self should tell you something. It is estimated that nearly half of the country does not have an opinion of Congressman (R) Paul Ryan’s budget - but 100% of the country will know about Obama’s plan and they will be told what their opinion should be. The President is not listening when 51% of Americans favor repeal of Obama care. The President is not listening when 48% of Americans see a need to make serious cuts in Defense, Social Security and Medicare. Serious cuts mean making these programs solvent and affordable through a balanced approach. A majority 54% of Americans disapprove of the Presidents performance while 46% approve. If a majority of Americans disapprove why then does the President continue not to listen? The answer lies within the objective. His objective is to bring a massive change to the society as a whole which will change the approach to the rest of the world. His pattern has been disturbing in how he has moved his agenda forward. He will tell us that our brightest days are still ahead. He will tell us that if we continue with his plan we will prosper. He will tell us that the rest of the world must share in our expenses abroad. He will tell us that gone are the days of going it alone. He will tell us that we must continue to stimulate the economy so that every American has a chance to succeed. Our brightest days are now in back of us. More Americans are now dependant on government aid than any other time in our history. This is now how people view the new prosperity of America. The rest of the world is now moving towards democracy and solvency while the United States is moving in the opposite direction. I do agree that gone are the days of going it alone, because we have taken the back seat in the greatest sea change that the world has seen in centuries. The stimulus programs will continue because his new budget is a remake of the last two years spending habits. His base has not seen him move to left enough as he said he would. His base is his support. If he can change enough in the next two years of his presidency we will only be able to change half of what he changed. His base will be happy with that because half is still better than nothing. Don’t hold on to your breath and wait for him to do anything that supports the American way of independence and private prosperity. Don’t hold on to your breath that the President even comes close to getting it. Don’t hold on to your breath and think that the President will meet anything that the majority in Congress now wants. While you are still able to breath, with un-taxed oxygen, remember what the president said some time ago. He said, “I would rather be a successful one term president than an unsuccessful two term president.” It’s all a matter of how far he can move the country to the left in his short tenure and that is how the liberal will judge his success. Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: The first breath of our freedom was won by those that were not afraid to defeat the taxation and the tyrannical policies of a king. The President is not a king and the liberal is nothing to hold your breath for.

The Field of play:

Tuesday-April 12, 2011 The Field of play: The major league baseball season has started. The fields of play are now open for players to excel and play the game that America loves best. America’s favorite pastime is always welcomed and anticipated, as the final winter winds turn into the warm soft breezes over the fields of green that the boys of summer play on. As the 2011 baseball season begins, the 2012 presidential political season is now heating up. With all the rhetoric of political play, the pundits have arrived to broadcast the game. The 2012 race is now on. The Democrats are worried, because they are using the words and the phrases that only a trained political advisor can write and also analyze. What I hear are the phrases that describe the president as being confident, because there is no one “worthy” of running against the president on the Republican side. The analysts are now busy predicting who will run and who won’t. They are busy finding the weakness in the poles and the perceived strengths of the man who holds office now. It is impossible to predict what team will be the winner of the World Series this early in the season. Though some will give an opinion of who doesn’t have a chance I wish that could be said of the President. By the end of this year’s baseball season, we will know who brought the pennant home and, at the same time, we will also have a pretty good idea of who will win the early primary season and go on to run against the president. Though some will tell us that the congressional election of 2010 was a revolution, we cannot trust that the 2012 election will continue on that same course. However, history never lies and history always records the one who didn’t win. On this date, in 1770, the Townshend Acts were repealed. This series of laws were passed in 1767 by the Parliament of Great Britain relating to the British colonies in North America. The acts are named for Charles Townshend, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who proposed the program. Historians vary slightly in which acts they include under the heading "Townshend Acts", but five laws are frequently mentioned: the Revenue Act of 1767, the Indemnity Act, the Commissioners of Customs Act, the Vice Admiralty Court Act, and the New York Restraining Act. The purpose of the Townshend Acts was to raise revenue in the colonies to pay the salaries of governors and judges so that they would be independent of colonial rule, to create a more effective means of enforcing compliance with trade regulations, to punish the province of New York for failing to comply with the 1765 Quartering Act, and to establish the precedent that the British Parliament had the right to tax the colonies. The Townshend Acts were met with resistance in the colonies, prompting the occupation of Boston by British troops in 1768, which eventually resulted in the Boston Massacre of 1770. As a result of the massacre in Boston, Parliament began to consider a motion to partially repeal the Townshend duties. Most of the new taxes were repealed, but the tax on tea was retained. The British government continued in its attempt to tax the colonists, without their consent. The Boston Tea Party and the American Revolution followed. After reading this bit of history, I need to ask one question; how can the president be permitted to say we all need to share in the financial burden of the nation’s debt? Why can Congressman Charlie Rangle say that, “we need to borrow, because we don’t have the money?” Why can Harry Reid and Barack Obama say in 2009, in the Senate, that “the debt ceiling should not be raised under any circumstance” and then today say, “we must raise the debt ceiling?” These are but a few of the words that some savvy potential office holder should use as a challenge to the president and his party. If you review past history, you will find that some did ask the tough question of why. This is how revolution begins. I have asked a few questions today and I will continue to do so. I will not stop asking the Democrats and I will also ask the Republicans. Right now we must make sure that the Republicans stand firm and not raise the debt ceiling in the next few weeks. The president should be the one that is held responsible, instead of making each American share in the burden of what past office holders have inflicted on this country, as a result of not asking the tough questions, let alone acting responsibly to find the answers. The president once again wants to raise taxes on the wealthy. Didn’t he just extend the Bush tax cuts? He will outline his budget plan tomorrow in front of many spectators that have already paid for this season’s ticket with their taxes. Keep a few things in mind while you watch this seasons players throw the fowls and strikes. If taxes are raised, we know how employment will be effected. When unemployment rises, people stop buying. When people stop buying, commerce slows down. When commerce slows down, the nasty cycle of recession starts over again. Gas is expected to hit five dollars a gallon this summer. When gas prices go up, people stop spending on other items. For example, if a bakery has to pay more for its flour, yeast, sugar and everything that it uses to make its baked goods, the bakery is forced to raise its prices to reflect the higher cost of producing its products. If customers find it difficult to buy a whole loaf of bread, they will buy a half loaf. The bakery can only raise the price of a half loaf to that of what the market can afford. The consumer then has a decision to make, stop buying at that particular bakery and go elsewhere. Either way, the bakery loses. It will go out of business or it will be forced to lay off employees, because of the increased cost of doing business with less customers. These two examples demonstrate what happens when you raise taxes with the prospect of rising fuel prices. Both scenarios results are less disposable income at the consumer level. The same was true in 1770 and the same is still true in 2011. The winner of this season will be hard to predict. The same is true in baseball as it is in politics. You need a deep bench with a pinch hitter. You need a pitcher that can pitch that fast ball and some times the curve ball. In baseball, the better team always wins. In baseball, it is always best to be in the lead during the seventh inning stretch. This season, ask the hard questions and throw those fast balls and make sure you watch for the calls the ump makes! Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: The bases are loaded on the field of play, with two men out you need to strike out the next batter to win the game - what kind of a ball do you pitch? If you are on the other team do you bunt or do you swing?

It disturbs me:

Monday –April 11, 2011 It disturbs me: I was so disturbed to see the President of the United States walking the streets of Washington D.C., visiting the Lincoln Memorial and telling the crowds that “we kept these open for you.” The implication was that he kept them open. I ended Friday’s FORUM with a quote from President Kennedy. He said, “The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie --- deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” When I sat down to write today, I gave great thought to what these words meant. The Kennedy myth was Camelot. It was created after his assassination. To bad that it took a tragedy like that to create the myth. Kennedy was a fiscal conservative and in those days was considered to be a social liberal. A chapter in the myth was that he survived the sinking of his PT boat and saved many of its crew in WWII. As Congressman, he voted many times against what Truman wanted and what the Democratic Party line was. In short, he did the heavy lifting, not only as a member of Congress, but as a Senator and as a President. Today’s liberal is so far apart from the liberal of yesteryear. In past years, we had some boastful politicians that occupied the White House. Many deserved the attention and few didn’t. However, when a president actively pursues creating a myth for himself and has not proven that he has done the heavy lifting, it then becomes clear that someone has to call him on it. This war over the budget, that came to a head, was the first salvo in what I hope is a political assault against the White House. This was the first time that this president had a Republican Congress to deal with. This was the first Congress that has called the president out. Though we don’t have all the details on the machinations that occurred in the midnight meetings, we did get a sense of how things were orchestrated. When the president came to his pulpit to preach to his choir, he became the story. This has to stop. I know the president has his bully pulpit, but that bully pulpit should be the one the Republicans have to capture. What happened last Friday night was not a victory. The Democratic Party has been skilled in the use of slogans and words. They say that “We acted on the children’s behalf”. Not true. The president didn’t want any spending cuts before the budget issue and the shutdown of the government came to a head two weeks ago. The Democrats use the term “investment spending”. To the lay person, this means they will get the benefit, but don’t worry how much it will cost you. The Democrats use the term “Education Innovation”. What does this mean? No one can answer this, but they say it takes an investment. These words and phrases are used against those who want to reduce the cost of government by eliminating waste on programs that are duplicated and that have become useless. The conservative is demonized by the democrats when the president or the senate leader say that the conservative is balancing the budget on the backs of seniors. Not true. These alternate programs for seniors that have been recommended will put the buying power in the hands of seniors. I believe that the American people are ready for the truth and they are ready for a different politician in Washington D.C. The Republicans came close to realizing this over the weekend, but they failed on the communication front. They have to work twice as hard now to get their message across in a truthful way. They must be able to define terms so the lay person can understand the difference between the terms investment and cost. It is time to use the bully pulpit to get the message out. A bully pulpit is a public office or other position of authority of sufficiently high rank that provides the holder with an opportunity to speak out and be listened to on any matter. The bully pulpit can bring issues to the forefront that were not initially in debate, due to the office's stature and publicity. This term was coined by President Theodore Roosevelt, a progressive Republican, who referred to the White House as a "bully pulpit," by which he meant a terrific platform from which to advocate an agenda. Roosevelt famously used the word bully as an adjective meaning "superb" or "wonderful" (a more common expression in his time than it is today). The President will announce his 2012 budget on Wednesday. I hope the Republicans can grab the bully pulpit and speak the truth, so that the Obama myth becomes harder to see. It disturbed me when I had to listen to Democrats say that the Republican Party were the new segregationists, because they wanted to reduce spending. It disturbed me that the Republicans were accused of advancing their radical social agenda, because they wanted to reduce spending. These are all terms that should be dismissed quickly and should be taken to the source, such as Jessie Jackson and Claire McCaskill. We should be taking the battle to those who bring it to us. It disturbs me that the spending battle is now just a word war. It disturbs me that we are in no better shape than we were last week. Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: It continues to disturb me that the battle over the budget is not over. It disturbs me that we are still talking about borrowing a trillion dollars in the next six months and raising the debt ceiling to do that. It disturbs me that politicians still don’t get it!

What are we talking about?

Friday – April 8, 2011 What are we talking about? What are talking about today? This is a wide and varied question. Some like to talk about the political situation around the world. Some like to talk about the political situation here at home. I like to talk about the whole political situation. I had a conversation yesterday with someone that I am close with. We talked about the politics coming out of Washington and naturally the conversation centered on the president. Though I do not know who the person I was talking to voted for, I have my suspicions. It is fine that he may have voted for the President. If he did, what did he get? This was the basis of our conversation. There was a statement made in the conversation that I had to consider. Where would we be if John McCain was elected? I think, in fact I know, we would have been in a different spot. Certainly both Vice Presidents would have made for good political jousting. This is one thing we both agreed on. Considering this question, we must look at ideology and experience. I was no fan of McCain, but it was easier for me to vote for him rather than Obama. I believe the events in the Middle East would be far from what they are today, although most of the dissent we see today is a result of other governments and not ours. Having said this, our Mid East partners still need our help and our leadership. I believe McCain would have been much stronger and more public with a solution, instead of the solutions that the president supported one day and changed the next day. I do know for a fact that the Libyan situation would have taken a far different direction, if McCain was at the helm. Moammar Qadaffi would not have sent the letter he sent to Obama to McCain and call the President of The United States “our dear son.” I believe that the number of panels and commissions that were created under Obama would have been non existent under the leadership of McCain. The only reason a panel is convened is to get the answer that you don’t have. One example of this is the Deficit Commission. Former Senator (R) Alan Simpson and former Chief of Staff to President Clinton, Erskine Bowles, chaired this commission and came up with a report that was blunt, non partisan and one that made recommendations that are sorely needed in deficit and spending reductions. The results that the commission spent months on were met with deaf ears by the President. The reason why we do not have a budget for this year and are arguing about the remaining six months that remain for this year is that the president did not show leadership and has lost the battle. The reason why we are approaching a government shutdown today is not the fault of the new Republican Congress or the Tea Party. It is the fault of the man in charge that did not display leadership, good style and presidential guidance. Yes, the president said he is available and his staff is available to help, so what - they are supposed to be! He was late and the V.P. did little to avoid the situation we have today. John McCain would have been a bridge between both parties, he would not have been a leader that was absent and then claimed the victory when the smoke settled. There would not have been the contentious debate over healthcare and the resulting court battles. There would not have been a delay of two more years in bringing the perpetrators of 9/11 to justice. I do believe that John McCain would have been a strong voice that was listened to and not one that our enemies laugh at. I also know that McCain would have been, as he put it, “our enemies’ worst nightmare” he would have made no apologies. Mc Cain would have brought a respect to the Oval Office and the trappings that come with it. Under McCain, I believe that spending would have been high, but not like the levels we have today. Under McCain, we would not be talking about a government shutdown tonight. Under McCain, I believe we would have found yet another reason to help our country, instead of arguing about our country. I believe we would have had a beginning of a true energy policy, with the development of our own resources here at home. Under McCain, we would have had people at the seat of power that don’t hate the country, but love the country for what it stands for. I believe that many people were taken in by the words of the president and were silly enough to believe them and fashion a myth. Even though Senator McCain said he didn’t have enough experience in managing the economy that would have been fine, because the way this economy has been managed is far from perfect, it’s disastrous. I believe we would not have had the questions that surround this president’s blank background. All of what John McCain has said and written is public knowledge. We have his college test scores, his military documentation and, yes, his birth certificate. If the president has a birth certificate that says he in an American citizen then he should come forth with it. If he has a legitimate birth certificate and is sitting on it for political purposes then serious questions must be asked, not about his birth, but about his motives and more seriously, his intent. The majority of the President’s college transcripts are cryptic at best and much of what he has written is not available to view. These questions should not come up when we elect a president. Never before in our history has there been so much that we don’t know about our president. So, when I ask the question, what are we talking about, we can answer it this way. A president should be a known quantity. A president should be able to bridge the two parties. A president has to lead and not take the easy way out by voting present. In other words, a president has to do the heavy lifting. As I wrote at the beginning of today’s FORUM, I was not a fan of John McCain, but having seen the results of the predictable Obama myth, I can honestly say that I have been thinking and I have not been considering the myth. John F. Kennedy said: “The great enemy of the truth is very often not the lie --- deliberate, contrived and dishonest, but the myth, persistent, persuasive and unrealistic. Belief in myths allows the comfort of opinion without the discomfort of thought.” Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: Let the president hide behind his myth, but don’t let him hide behind the facts and don’t let the powers in Washington say that you are wrong.

What my mother said:

Thursday – April 7, 2011 What my mother said: My mother told me, look at who your friends are and I will tell you your future. With the possible shut down of the government looming, the American political dance is on display. The politics of envy and separation are now on display. The politics of blame is shameful and the distortion of fact is confusing. But the choreography of this dance is spectacular. The new Democratic National Chairwoman, Debbie Wasserman Schultz, didn’t waste any time on getting out on the dance floor to strut to the tune of personal destruction and distortion that the Democratic Party is once again advancing. She said: "During my tenure, there will be nothing more important to our party or to the American people than advancing President Obama's agenda and ensuring that he is elected to a second term so we can continue to move our country forward," Wasserman Shultz said, in a statement released Tuesday by the DNC. Congresswoman Schultz also said that people would die if the government was forced to shut down under the Republican controlled Congress. This distortion should be front and center of the debate. Her analysis and her views are extreme and dangerous to the discourse. She should be marginalized and asked to step down. Her claims are baseless and it demonstrates her lack of understanding and her biased one way perception of what government was intended to be. She wasted no time is saying that the Obama agenda needs to be advanced. These words, these thoughts and these people are dangerous to America. They should be closely viewed and watched, so that every word is met with a more educated and more sophisticated view of what our country is and should be. This Democratic Party, in my opinion, is now the party of destruction and slander. This week, Representative Paul Ryan (R) laid out a well articulated and succinct federal budget. It is the only budget that has been presented that takes out duplicate spending for duplicate programs. It clearly reduces spending and will freeze spending limits at 2008 levels. It doesn’t go far enough, but it is a start. The Democrats and Wasserman Schultz do not have a budget, they never have and they never will have one that takes America back to prosperity. The President’s party refused to draft a budget when they had control, because they thought it would be best to wait until the President’s spending commission submitted their report on what to cut and how to proceed. The president has not included one of their ideas, quite frankly, he wasted time and money on a report that was criticized as being unrealistic. When the president takes the time to commission a report and does not follow the advice he paid for then we should examine the reasons. The reason the president did not follow the reports blueprint in reducing spending is that he had no intention on doing that from the outset. It was smoke and mirrors and it was choreographed to make it look like he was leading the dance. Speaker of the House Boehner said the president has been absent in leadership on this budget. The Senate minority leader Mitch Mc Connell said the president waited until his report was submitted and did nothing with it. The Senate Majority Leader Reid has made claims about how the Republicans have not done their job. The fact remains is the Democrats have not done theirs. Former Speaker of the House Pelosi claims, “If the Republican spending cuts are allowed to pass six million seniors will go hungry.” The Democrats have been to busy finding ways that make the Republicans look bad for their own political expediency. The Republicans should push for another spending resolution and take their budget on a road trip and tour the nation with every Republican congressman and senator selling it to the people. In the mean time, the Presidents party would be forced to pass spending resolutions with spending cuts attached in it for the Senate to pass and the President to sign. The President would have no option but to sign the extension because Debbie Wasserman Schultz says people will die if the government is shutdown and Pelosi’s claim that six million seniors will go hungry. Here is a little story for you. As Lewis and Clark prepared to leave Fort Mandan, on this day in 1805, they did not know the trials ahead and were likely filled with optimism and excitement. As the keelboat shoved off and started down the Missouri with Lewis' report to Jefferson, the Corps of Discovery (and their female guide, Sacagawea) resumed the far more difficult task of rowing their small boats upstream. That night, Lewis wrote in his journal, "Our vessels consisted of six small canoes, and two large pirogues. This little fleet altho' not quite so rispectable as those of Columbus or Capt. Cook, were still viewed by us with as much pleasure as those deservedly famed adventurers ever beheld theirs." As Lewis began his journey into a land, "on which the foot of civilized man had never trodden," he proclaimed this day of departure as, "among the most happy of my life." I bring this story up because we are lacking a mission and vision of how to grow this country. I want to know where the Jefferson’s are of our time. Where are the men that have the need to explore and the courage to reach that next mountain peak in order to see that next horizon? Where are the men that want to expand America and that are willing to take that story to the American people? Our government consists of people without vision and without the courage to reach that next mountain peak. Politicians like Wasserman Schultz are self indulgent and men like our president lack the vision that Jefferson had and certainly the courage of Lewis and Clark. Look at who your friends are and you will see your future! Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: Just go back two years and read who the people were that the president decided he needed to run this country. We know who his friends were and we know what they wanted for the future. For me there is nothing else to consider.

The showdown:

Wednesday – April 6, 2011 The showdown: The Republicans submitted their federal spending budget for next year and ten years out. There are significant spending cuts that will reduce the federal budget to 20% of what we borrow. This budget takes spending levels to what they were in 2008. The President said the problem with this budget and why it has not been passed are due to “political and ideological guidelines.” What he didn’t say is that his ideological and political guidelines would have a federal spending budget that doubled in his first term and that would triple by the end of his second term. I ask you, what ideology and what political guide line are you in favor of? One also has to ask what is the political and ideological guideline that the president favors? The one question that no one is asking is: why does he want to destroy the American economic engine? It is purposeful or is it just out of ignorance? The showdown this week is because of these questions. One party would reduce spending to save the economic engine while the other party would increase spending to take more away from those that produce and give it to those that don’t. This is the long and the short of it. This is the ideology of some and this is the politics of others. The budget that we are now struggling over is one that should have been passed three months ago and one that the Democrats couldn’t pass even though they held the majority. The president says it is the Republicans who are failing to lead the president. This is a bold faced lie. It was his party that didn’t do their job when they had a chance to. The politics, in the next few days, will be over shutting down the government, because the temporary spending resolution runs out at midnight on Friday. The question I am posing is this: what is so bad about shutting down the government? All essential services will be provided, recipients of social welfare will get their checks and the military will still be in business. What is so bad about getting along without the body that is strangling us? On this date, in 1789, the 1st U.S. Congress began its regular sessions in Federal Hall, New York City. The meeting in New York was the first federal Congress that initiated the committee system, levied taxes and imposts, and enacted a judicial system. The Senate exercised its powers of advice and consent. Most important, the Congress passed the first ten amendments to the Constitution, which became known as the Bill of Rights. I bring this date up because some of the things that we are discussing today should have never gotten to the point that they are. In the early days of our founding, members of Congress were mindful of the public purse and they strived to pay off the nation’s debt that had accumulated because of the Revolutionary War. The members of the original House knew that the debt incurred, that gave us our freedom, would strangle us as a nation, if it was not paid back. The original fifty-six members would never have approved the government printing the amounts of money it has in the last few years to encourage a false growth. They knew differently. The president tells us today that the budget being debated now will be one that will present a “contrasting vision on where to move the country.” My question is why is it necessary to move the country from the concept of limited government and free market solutions something that the original founders of our government wanted. Liberty insures choice. Reduced liberty is a choice we cannot afford. The president says that he “shouldn’t have to oversee a process.” It is his vision, by way of the liberals, that have brought us to where we are today. It is his process that has brought us to this point in our history. Throughout our history there has been the struggle of less government or more government. When facts are presented, the country always sees the dangers of big government. The Democrats will savage this budget as one that strips aid to the poor and that will put people into homeless shelters. It will portray the Republicans as those who want to deny healthcare to our seniors. The lies will be bigger than they have ever been. The new budget is one that provides a fiscal path to prosperity. The time to pick the fight is now! The focus of the debate should not be about party politics it is as the president says where do we want to move the country? The Republicans should be encouraged not to give in because we can get along without the type of government the progressive liberal has grown. Harry Reid says the tea party is driving this debate. The debate is not what the tea party wants it is what Americans are now seeing, it is their government that is spending all of our money. Just as it was in 1789, the First Congress knew what bad debt would do to the national conscience. Our first citizens who fought for independence knew that taxation and tyranny would destroy liberty and freedom. The progressive liberal and democrat party do not use the words liberty and freedom. The democrat party never invokes stories about our founding. They never talk about self reliance and rugged American individualism because these are the things they want to move the country away from. It starts at the top and the president is overseeing this process of destruction and movement. To bring this down to simple terms, if your family spends more than you bring in what happens? If you borrow 40 % of every dollar you spend what happens? If a family continues on this path the family loses its prosperity, because of the debt it will incur. Eventually, the family will lose their house and their belongings. We cannot afford to lose our house, because it is what ensures our liberty and our freedom. There. I said it again; Liberty and freedom. Use it and embrace it. This is the showdown. Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: Liberty and freedom is something that cannot be taught, but it is something that can be taken away trough the actions of people who do not believe in it. If you don’t use it then you lose it!

Makers and takers:

Tuesday – April 5, 2011 Makers and takers: When we look at our history, this country has always done better and succeeded more when we made history and when we were allowed to make a destiny for ourselves. Makers don’t use the word transform, but takers do. Makers don’t use the word fundamental, but takers do. Makers don’t say that Corporations are evil and then take big donations from them, only to find a place on some other board, takers do. Makers don’t take liberty away from you and call it a realistic approach to healthcare, takers do. Makers don’t pass a law and then say we will have to wait and see what’s in it, takers do. The President formally launched his bid for re-election. Some say he could be the first billion dollar president. A candidate that wants to make liberty and freedom the objective doesn’t have to announce his bid early to insure fund raising starts early, takers do. Makers don’t make every speech a campaign speech, takers do. Today, the Republicans make history with the federal budget that will be introduced. The Republicans will make history with the cuts they are recommending. The Democrats will demonize these cuts with the old clichés that have robbed us of our wealth and taken away our liberties and our posterity’s freedom. Makers make things. Takers take things. The bail out was not meant for us, because we are now bailing out the government. Makers ensure growth - takers take growth away. Makers will reduce spending by four trillion dollars over ten years. Takers will increase federal spending by 3.5 trillion in less than two years. Takers will hide 2 billion dollars in a healthcare plan that was passed in the darkness of night so that companies like, AT&T, Verizon, GE, GM will get a pass on paying for their retires healthcare. Makers will create a healthcare plan that is competitive, because it is driven by the market and not by government mandate. Makers will create jobs and want jobs that provide opportunity. Takers will want the security that a government job offers. There are nearly six public sector jobs to every one manufacturer’s job today in the private sector. Makers make products to inspire growth in commerce. Takers will regulate commerce to insure taxes on commerce are levied. Makers will create a system of government that provides freedom and liberty via a Constitution. Takers will work around the Constitution that they are sworn to protect and defend only to ensure a voting block is able to take from those who created and want to make a constitutionally limited republic thrive. Makers will run for office on the principles of tradition and values, takers will tell you that those values are outdated and only work for the very wealthy. Takers will take money from those they demonize so that a progressive liberal agenda will ensure wealth for the have knots s and provide security for generation’s of the have knots. On today’s date, in 1792, President George Washington cast the first Presidential veto. The bill introduced a new plan for dividing seats in the House of Representatives that would have increased the amount of seats for northern states. After consulting with his politically divided and contentious cabinet, Washington, who came from the southern State of Virginia, ultimately decided that the plan was unconstitutional, because in providing for additional representatives for some states, it would have introduced a number of representatives higher than that proscribed by the Constitution. After a discussion with the President, Jefferson wrote in a letter that votes for or against the bill was divided along geographical lines between the North and South. Jefferson observed that Washington feared that a veto would incorrectly portray him as biased toward the South. In the end, Jefferson was able to convince the president to veto the bill on the grounds that it was unconstitutional and introduced principles that were liable to be abused in the future. Jefferson suggested apportionment instead be “derived from arithmetical operation, about which no two men can ever possibly differ." Washington's veto sent the bill back to Congress. Though representatives could have attempted to overrule the veto with a two-thirds vote, Congress instead threw out the original bill and instituted a new one that apportioned representatives at "the ratio of one for every thirty-three thousand persons in the respective States." Washington exercised his veto power only one other time during his two terms in office. In February 1797, the former commanding general of the Continental Army vetoed an act that would have reduced the number of cavalry units in the army. Washington and Jefferson were maker’s, because they didn’t want to abuse the principles that made our freedom. If the veto didn’t occur, many of the freedoms we enjoy today might have been taken away because of disproportionate representation. A taker would have made the decision, because of a biased view. Through out our history, each president has made decisions that were viewed as good by some and bad by others. As it is today and as it was in Washington’s time, politics is still a primary motivator. The difference is that today we have far more takers than we have makers. The presidential field has not been filled. Obama is a taker and he will be that way for the rest of his life. It is in his blood and the system we have will provide for his retirement for many years. Let’s try to nominate someone who will make a difference by providing the means for us to make instead of providing the means for some to continue to take. Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: Does a taker deserve the support of free people or does a maker garner the support of a free nation this is the choice that will confront us over the next 20 months.

Slice and dice:

Monday-April 4, 2011 Slice and Dice: I love this term. I looked up the meaning and I got a few definitions and yet a few differing originations of the term. However, for today’s discussion let’s just stick to the basics of what slice and dice is. When we slice and dice, we divide an object. Usually, it is a fruit or vegetable. When a piece of fruit or vegetable is divided it multiplies or when a piece of food is divided, it is usually being prepared to cook so that it can be eaten. The question is are we doing the slicing and dicing or is our enemy doing the slicing and dicing? Are our efforts around the world and domestically following what the menu calls for and who will be better at cooking the small pieces that remain on the chopping block? Last Monday, the President told us at 7:30 pm, non prime time, that he had stopped Moammar Qadaffi’s military forces dead in their tracks and that NATO would take command of the coalition in Libya. One week later, NATO has taken command later than they had announced and Qadaffi has reversed his retreat and now it is the Rebels who are on retreat. No matter how you slice and dice it, someone is either lying or is possibly devoid of the facts or just doesn’t know what the facts are. I would really like to eliminate the lying part, because there have been more lies told in the last two years and no matter how you slice and dice it, we have forgotten what truth is all about in this country. So let’s concentrate on being devoid of the facts and more importantly not knowing what the facts are. No matter how you slice or dice it, time is now on Qadaffi’s side and like most in that part of the world the ability to postpone and delay what we would consider possible or even inevitable outcomes is something that they are capable of capitalizing on and are now able to play the delay game over. What is really going on is that the perceived people’s wish in Libya of creating a parliamentary democracy is becoming questionable and might not even have been a possibility from the outset. Finding rebel leaders we can trust is one thing, but knowing for a fact that there are rebels we can trust is becoming more unclear by the day. The president said that most of the rebel leaders are lawyers and doctors. How can he know this? And if they are what difference does that mean if these rebels cannot be trusted or if they are against coalition interests. Having the U.S pull back from an active military posture is sending a signal that we either don’t care or that we are unable to do what it takes to get Qadaffi out, if that in fact is the mission. At this point, no matter how you slice it and dice it, Qadaffi is still in and his son might now be in a better position to step into the void that would be created in the event that Moammar steps down. No matter how you slice it or dice it, our policy of containment or our way of dealing with that part of the world must now change. If you take this troubled region and slice up the various portions into small pieces you will now find that Iran, Syria, Yemen, Egypt and now Libya have to be treated differently. If we are to effectively encourage a regime change or even various types of reform, we must realize that these terms mean different things to different people in that region. When you slice it and dice it, some are now realizing that our relationship with these countries is different. Syria is not Iran, Iran is not Syria. Libya is not the same now as Iran and Syria is now much different than Libya. It is complicated, but no matter how you slice it and dice it, these are all small parts now laying on the chopping block of history. Many say that Libya is not essential to the United States. That may be true, but will it be true in a year from now? The Libyan war is now being considered the war that isn’t a war. Many are now seeing the drift that the United State has taken from that of being an aggressor to that of being a protector. If we are now a protector shouldn’t that mean that we should be taking a more hardened stance against the tyranny that exists in this part of the world? Not so when you become a protector, you then pick and choose your battles. When you slice it and dice it, if you pick the battles that you want to fight, you must then be prepared to go the distance. So far this administration has sliced and diced its policy options and has decided that they will just get lucky. Last Monday, when the president said Qadaffi has been halted, he spoke out of turn and got ahead of himself, because he picked the time and their place to play his trump card and it turned out that lady luck was not on our side. When you slice it and dice it, lady luck is not diplomacy. Diplomacy is only achieved when your foreign policy is used in conjunction with strength and is equal to that of your mission. Today, Qadaffi has rejected all the calls for a cease fire. Today, he is still in control. If we had wanted to be a protector, the U.S. should have demonstrated, without question, what this new role would mean to the region. When you slice it and dice it, nothing has changed since before the protection started. When you slice it and dice it, it becomes apparent that we have been devoid of the facts and still do not know what the facts are. When you slice it and dice it, our country does have boots on the ground and when we do get the facts we should act upon those facts and bring an end to this war that isn’t a war. According to the biased media, the war in Libya has now been moved to the 2nd page. Speaking of the press, when you slice it and dice it, some in the press are biased. It has been reported by many news organizations that General Electric made 14 billion dollars in profit. That’s great, but it has not been reported by NBC that GE did not pay any U.S. income tax on that profit. NBC is owned by GE and its CEO Jeffery Immelt is a close confidant of the President. When you slice it and dice it, NBC has been very favorable in reporting anything that this administration has done. I wrote many months ago about the dangers of, as I termed it then, the new Corporate Industrial Complex. When you slice it and dice it, this American corporation is getting away with millions, and that is not chump change. One of the many origins of the term slice and dice I found was: “Home Slice means good friend or buddy.” You see - when you do slice it and dice it, we find the answer! Gregory C. Dildilian Founder and Executive Director Pinecone Conservatives A footnote: On today’s date, in 1818, Congress decided that our flag would carry 13 red and white stripes and 20 stars. I am sure there was some slicing and dicing done in this decision, but that was when our flag truly meant good friend and buddy to all that wanted to wave the flag.