Archbishop Broglio sent a letter to all chaplains saying, in part, that “The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services announced last week that almost all employers, including Catholic employers, will be forced to offer their employees’ health coverage the includes sterilization, abortion-inducing drugs, and contraception.  Almost all health insurers will be forced to include those immoral ‘services’ in the health polices they write. And almost all individuals will be forced to buy that coverage as a part of their policies.”

          The letter opposing the regulation was read by to congregants of Navy and Air Force chaplains around the world.  However, the Army attempted to stop the reading of the Archbishop’s letter at Masses on Army facilities.

          Ultimately the letter was read, with read at all masses, but only after the line,  “We cannot—we will not—comply with this unjust law,” was removed from the text.   

          When Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius finalized the regulation last month, she stated that religious organizations had until August of 2013 to “adapt” to the new regulation and comply with it.

          The Obama administration orders morning-after abortion drug to be covered by insurance, blocks freedom of speech for the clergy and tells believers to “adapt” to regulations that violate freedom of conscience.  Can there be any doubt that we are in a battle for the soul of this nation?

Red Light Cameras
Have you heard about the appalling number of deaths caused by people running red lights, how an every growing number of people just ignore traffic signals and speed through intersections, prompting authorities to erect red light cameras to catch the reckless drivers who endanger us all.  Neither have I.  These cameras are not about safety, they are about revenue for cash strapped states and cities.  Some studies even show more accidents occur because motorists slam on their brakes to avoid receiving a ticket.  Since I dislike red light cameras and enjoy a good citizen revolt, I thought I would share this video. 

Gay Marriage in Washington State
Governor Gregoire is scheduled to sign the gay marriage bill into law Monday morning. The law would normally take effect 90 days after the session ends next month, but I’m counting on conservative and religious groups to challenge this in the courts and for a referendum to be brought before the voters.  Every time gay marriage is voted on by the people it is rejected, but liberal politicians and activist judges continue to force the issue upon a reluctant electorate.
Gov. Gregoire to sign gay marriage bill on Monday   

Show me the money
Newt Gingrich just is not winning and Sheldon Adelson, the money man behind much of Newt’s campaign has turned off the flow of money.  Tomorrow is the Maine caucus and I don’t expect Newt to do well.  If he can’t produce a big win in the next few weeks the money will dry up and, I suspect, he will be forced to drop out.
Gingrich Group Looks for New Money

American Redoubt
The American Redoubt, an idea proposed by prepper, author and blogger James Wesley Rawles, is the subject of the linked article.  As the article states, “it's the designated point of retreat when the American economy hits the fan. When banks fail, the government declares martial law, the power grid goes down…”  Decades ago those who prepared for disaster were disparagingly called survivalists, but today they call themselves “preppers.”  The vast majority of preppers are just average people trying to ensure the safety of their loved ones by preparing, hence the name, for whatever might come.  Usually the mainstream media labels us (yes, I consider myself a prepper) as redneck gun nuts and racists.  This article is fairer than most. 
The American Redoubt, where survivalists plan to survive

          The Joycelyn Elders Prize for leftwing folly goes to Washington State Senator Patty Murray.

          The Elders Prize, named in honor of Joycelyn Elders, surgeon general during the Clinton administration, is awarded as warranted to political and cultural figures who live up to her high standards of support for outlandish lefty ideals.  Elders had the liberals running for political cover as she advocated for abortion rights, condoms in schools, drug legalization, and more that would not be appropriate for this blog.

          On January 31, 2012 the Susan G. Komen foundation withdrew funding from Planned Parenthood, the largest provider of abortions in America.  Senator Patty Murray was quick to come to the defense of the organization stating, “Planned Parenthood’s mission is to save lives…”  She went on to praise Planned Parenthood for doing “tremendous work across this country in providing preventative services so women don’t have to miss out on screenings and mammograms.”  She went on to blame the entire controversy on “a partisan witch hunt.”    

          Even if you support abortion, as Senator Murray does, only an outlandish liberal could claim with a straight face that the mission of the nation’s largest abortion provider is to save lives.  Senator Patty Murray you have more than earned this Joycelyn Elders Prize. 

          I don’t normally cover foreign affairs on this blog, others do it better than I can, but unless the course of nations change, we are headed for war, and that deserves to be noted here. 

          I do not believe that Israel will allow Iran to become a nuclear nation, nor do I believe that Iran will allow Israel to stop them.  The mullahs who control Iran have threatened to destroy Israel and want the United States out of the region.  They see nuclear weapons as a means to achieve these goals.  Iran will not back down and the Jewish nation will not allow another holocaust.  Such irreconcilable disputes are how wars begin.

          Since the dawn of the nuclear age we have all lived in dangerous times.  However, with Pakistan already a nuclear nation, Iran about to become one and the growing turmoil throughout the Muslim world, times are becoming more perilous.  If Iran and Israel throw nuclear missiles at each other they will do so over the most oil rich area of the planet.  We will become involved.  That is how a regional war becomes a world war.

          The video embedded is titled, The Last Day of Israel.  I have been unable to find much about it but the characters speak and the YouTube page is written in Hebrew.  A translation of the tagline states, “In February 2013 the Republic of Iran opened a combo attack culminating in the dropping nuclear bombs on Israeli territory and the environment. This is one of many records that survived from that day that changed the world.”  Israel has a history of acting before their enemies strike. 

Cathy McMorris Rodgers

          Representative McMorris Rodgers has been in congress since 2005.  Her district encompasses eastern Washington from Okanogan to Walla Walla.  She is the highest-ranking Republican woman in congress, now in her second term as vice chairman of the Republican Conference, and has strong conservative credentials.  Since she is not well known outside her district she has limited negative baggage as compared to a Bachmann or Palin.  She could come on strong and help a candidate like Romney turn Washington from a blue state to red.

Republican In Name Only

          Republicans have certain core beliefs.  When a Republican votes for higher taxes or expansive entitlement programs, it is understandable that I question their motives or even call them a RINO, Republican In Name Only.  Low taxes and limited government are Republican fundamental values.  When Republicans violate those core beliefs they drive people like me, who should be their strongest allies, away from the party. 

          I have supported traditional marriage on this blog and for years it has been a fundamental principle of the Republican Party.  Indeed the 2010 state Republican Party platform declares, “The family unit is the cornerstone of a free and moral society. It is the responsibility of parents, not the state, to guide their children to be good citizens. Government’s responsibility is to uphold and respect traditional institutions, such as marriage between one man and one woman…”

          The gay marriage bill, SB 6239, which recently passed the state senate could not have done so without the help of four Republicans.  The four RINOs senators were, Joe Fain, Andy Hill, Steve Litzow and Cheryl Pflug.  Will the Republican Party stand for principle or turn a blind eye?  Will these members remain uncensored?  Will they remain members in good standing of the party?          

          Ultimately this struggle is about more than marriage.  This is a struggle of ideas and worldviews.  In 1992 speech before the Republican National Convention, Pat Buchanan said, “There is a religious war going on in our country for the soul of America. It is a cultural war, as critical to the kind of nation we will one day be as was the Cold War itself.”  I agree.

          “A dollar,” someone always answers.

          “What does that mean?  Why would you trade food or gas for this piece of paper?”

          “Because we can use it to buy other things.”

          “So this paper dollar is only worth something if you can buy other things with it?”

          At this point most of the students are nodding yes.

          Often someone will ask, “Isn’t our money backed by gold or silver?”

          At one time it was, but not today.  In 1970 President Richard Nixon unilaterally cancelled the convertibility of the dollar to gold.  This became known in economic circles as the Nixon Shock. 

          While inflation continues to eat away at the value of the dollar, it continues to have value both because of the strength of the U.S. economy and because we know that tomorrow we can go to the store and exchange it for what we want.  However, history shows us that paper money, does fall in value, we call that inflation.  Such fiat money can even collapse in value.  In 2008 inflation was over 200,000% in Zimbabwe and by the next year the government was printing $100 trillion Zimbabwe dollar notes that today you can buy on eBay.  The list of countries which have experienced such hyperinflation is long.  While the United States has not seen hyperinflation since the Civil War, another war, crisis, or bad leadership could cause it to happen again.

          Until recently gold and silver were used as money because they were seen as having real value.  Originally paper money was a receipt for a specified amount of those metals.  Today there is no official relationship between the paper in your wallet and the precious metals, but they remain linked in other ways.  As inflation rises, and the value of the dollar falls, gold tends to go up.  Putting it another way, as people lose faith in the dollar, they turn to gold and precious metals. 

          During a time of severe crisis which would you rather have, a twenty-dollar bill or a silver dollar?  Today that silver dollar is worth much more than twenty paper ones.  That is why gold and silver are part of my investments.  As long as we can go to the store and buy things, gold and silver will have value.  I’m not so sure about paper money.

          Government cannot create real, lasting, jobs by spending tax dollars on projects.  All this bill will create are temporary jobs that will vanish when taxpayer money evaporates.  The Washington State minimum wage, the highest in the nation, burdensome regulation, prevailing wage rules, closed and agency shop requirements, along with a slow permit approval process hamper growth in the state. 

          Washington State needs businesses to grow naturally.  That will add real, permanent jobs.  State Representative Richard Debolt recently offered to tie cooperation on this jobs bill with deregulation.  That idea has some merit, but our elected official should be cutting red tape because it is the right thing to do, not as part of political horse trading.  Business will grow naturally when bureaucrats cut regulation, cut taxes and get out of the way.  

Soros Warns of Riots in America
Billionaire George Soros warned that the current economic system could collapse and we could see riots on the streets of America in the near future.  He stated, “The situation is about as serious and difficult as I’ve experienced in my career. We are facing now a general retrenchment in the developed world.”  In a blogpost titled The Establishment Backs Romney, I mentioned that Soros doesn’t see much difference between Obama and Romney.  I don’t agree with Soros’ politics, but that comment and the article cited here made me wonder, is Soros engaging in fear mongering or does the wealthy financier see problems ahead?   
There will be riots on the streets of America

Good Government Jobs
The average federal worker now earns as much in pay and benefits as workers for one of  America's most prestigious and highest paying employers.  The average government worker earns $133,000 about the same as a worker at Microsoft.  I picked the wrong career.    
Average Compensation For Federal Workers    

Global Cooling
According to the Daily Mail of Britain we can all forget about global warming.  The new threat is global cooling!  For me global cooling is easier to believe in than warming.  I split my time between Washington State and Alaska and recently both have had significant cold temperatures.  Right now outside my home in Eek, Alaska the temperature is -45F.  Fairbanks is reporting similar temperatures.  However, before Al Gore gets too excited, according to the Daily Mail article, if global cooling is in our future it is caused by the sun, not by man.
Forget global warming – it’s Cycle 25 we need to worry about

          They Republican elites largely go along to get along with the liberal Democrats because they’re all heading in the same general direction.  These moderate Republicans want a little less spending, a bit lower taxes, but nothing that will rock the boat.  That the ship of state is sinking in debt, government regulation and cultural collapse is something that the GOP leadership seems incapable of grasping. 

          What they do realize is that endorsements tend to lend credibility to a campaign.  According to the Roll Call endorsement tracker for members of the House and Senate, Ron Paul has been endorsed by his son, Rand Paul, and two others.  Rick Santorum also has three endorsements, all from Pennsylvania where he lived and served as a Representative and Senator.  Newt Gingrich has 11 endorsements, five from his home state of Georgia.  However, the clear winner in this race is Mitt Romney with 73 endorsements from New Hampshire to California and Alaska to Florida.  Two Republican governors have endorsed Gingrich, seven have gone for Romney.  Clearly, the leadership is lining up behind the moderate from Massachusetts. 

          I am not convinced the Newt Gingrich is the right man for president, but I am certain we do not want a captain that will only guide us onto the rocks at a slower pace.  We need someone willing to make a huge course correction, hard to starboard, and then full speed ahead.