February 8, 2009 – In 1922, D. H. Lawrence wrote, “Men fight for liberty and win it with hard knocks. Their children, brought up easy, let it slip away again, poor fools. And their grandchildren are once more slaves.”

Most of America still is under the belief that we are a free and independent people, they couldn’t be more wrong. Their ignorance of how our system of government was designed to function, has allowed this fraud to be perpetrated upon the people by those who have been elected to safeguard our freedom and liberty. What makes it more sad is that the people, for the most part, are as apathetic as they are ignorant, they just don’t have the desire to learn the truth. As Benjamin Franklin once said, “Being ignorant is not so much a shame, as being unwilling to learn.”

February 8, 2009 - The wise ones knew it.  Those that were observing with open eyes and reading between the lines, were predicting what would happen.  We were all cognizant of the treachery that lay behind the polished veneer and the orchestrated, contrived oratory.   We were aware of the backgrounds of his radical and corrupt associations and the influence these associations would have on his thought processes and decisions.  We questioned the validity of his natural birth and were deeply concerned about his total lack of executive experience.  This “candidate”, rising up out of the shadows of Chicago corruption, was being groomed for plenary power.

All throughout the presidential campaign the warning signs were there.

February 8, 2009 - As we once again look forward to battles within the arena known as, “The Right to Keep and Bear Arms” – in other words, the 2nd Amendment to the Constitution, we once again look back in history to one of the finest writers to ever hold court in the “City that Works” – Mike Royko.

Royko passed on, April 29, 1997. I miss Mike and his wisdom – but his words still ring true…

February 6, 2009 – I have lived through three monumental historical events. I remember only two of them.

I do not remember the dropping of the two atomic bombs in August of 1945. As symbols of scientific world transformation, this constituted the most momentous event of the 20th century. This breakthrough, so far, has not led to nuclear war, even though on several occasions, it looked as though nuclear war was a distinct possibility. Nevertheless, the arrival of the nuclear age heralded a transformation of the modern world. We have not yet seen the end of that transformation.

February 6, 2009 - I am often guilty of using the term “freedom-loving Americans.” But I think the question now needs to be asked, Do Americans really cherish freedom anymore? I believe an argument could be made that not many do. In fact, I doubt that most Americans today remotely understand what freedom – as envisioned by our Founding Fathers – even is.

Freedom is more than not being in prison (although America incarcerates more people than any nation on earth). Freedom is more than driving a car, or taking a vacation, or being able to choose your place of residence, or attending a sporting event. People in totalitarian regimes have, for the most part, been able to do the equivalent of all that.

February 5, 2009 – Just the other day, Oprah Winfrey aired a show where she offered suggestions for people to deal with the worsening economy. During the short time I happened to be in the room watching, Oprah must have said that America must again learn to live within its means about a dozen times. That is quite easy for Oprah to say, seeing as how Forbes lists her net worth at over $2.5 billion.

I don’t think Oprah has any of the day to day problems most Americans face when it comes to making ends meet. However, the net worth of Oprah is not the reason I am writing this commentary. My purpose for writing is her comment that America must again learn to live within its means.

February 5, 2009 – Many write to me and ask, WHAT CAN WE DO?   Others write telling me that if we are to succeed then I need to promote some group, or some book,  or tell WGEN readers to send money to (insert group).  Many tell me that we need to ‘organize together’ and do this or that.

How many of you would follow the instructions given to Joshua at Jericho?

February 5, 2009 - As a general rule, we aren’t prone to use biblical analogies or parables in our frequent articles and essays, although sometimes they can be useful because of everyone’s common knowledge of them ….. especially the story of David and Goliath.  We won’t go into the story except to say that Goliath, the bully, was terrorizing the common folk and had to be stopped.  The common folk had no other alternative but to confront the bully.

February 5, 2009 - A recent Associated Press news release exposed U.S. banks accepting billions in bailout money along with major corporations.  Banks defraud American taxpayers by hiring thousands of foreign workers in place of our citizens.

The report said, “The figures are significant because they show that the bailed-out banks, being kept afloat with U.S. taxpayer money, actively sought to hire foreign workers instead of American workers.