The Department of Homeland Security has released an assessment report on "right-wing extremism" and their "potential" for violent domestic terrorism and specifically targets conservatives and veterans as primary threats. According to the report, right-wing extremism is defined as "adherents that are primarily hate-oriented (based on hatred of particular religious, racial or ethnic groups), and those that are mainly antigovernment, rejecting federal authority in favor of state or local authority, or rejecting government authority entirely. It may include groups and individuals that are dedicated to a single issue, such as opposition to abortion or immigration."

     So there you have it.  If you are pro-life, oppose illegal immigration, or believe as the forefathers did in small federal government that is less intrusive in the lives of the citizens of the states, you are an extremist. The report further attributes many other conservative ideologies to extremists and "radicals," citing issues such as gun control, fiscal conservatism, and the desire for the longevity of American supremacy as a world power.

Particularly telling, is the emphasis of the report on ideology and its lack of information regarding a single threat of violence on the part of individuals holding such ideologies. In fact, the report specifically states that DHS has no evidence regarding a single right-wing plan to commit an act of violence. So, in reality, the report targets the opinions of conservatives as dangerous and specifically refers to the transmission of such ideas as "propaganda."

The real danger here is the emergence of a government sanctioned report aimed at the intimidation and silencing of dissenting opinions  expressed by a particular group of people. Specifically disturbing, is the apparent attempt by a federal agency to restrict free speech rights through such intimidation.  One is left to wonder, if this is the beginning of a much larger effort to silence and restrict any opposition to the current administration's policies and agendas and if they are on a list of potential threats.

Michael Nadeau

P.S. The thoughts and opinions expressed above are mine, and as such, I exercise them as long as free speech is still protected.

     We find ourselves in a financial crisis unlike any we have faced, and this crisis has been compounded by the incompetence of our elected leaders to apply a proper solution to the problem.  Instead the President and the elected liberals in the House and Senate are pursuing a socialist agenda of massive government expansion through control of the free markets and private property, a clear violation of the Fifth Amendment. The liberal agenda has long pushed towards the socialist ideas of taking from one group to give to another and justifying those actions as Constitutionally acceptable by "promoting the welfare." However, the Constitution is clear in its Preamble where it states that government is to "Promote the general welfare." This statement clearly reflects that the actions of government must be to the benefit of all, not detrimental to one in order to promote the welfare of the other.
     Recent events in Washington are rife with examples demonstrating the socialist power grab of the liberals running our government, and their exploitation of our economic crisis to further their agenda. Just today, the Supreme Leader responded to a question about getting our jobs back with a statement that we would not get all of our jobs back because they would be bad for the economy and that we should look to green energy for new jobs, a clear sign that certain jobs aren't wanted because they aren't part of the "agenda." He further explained what new jobs he was referring to by suggesting that thousands of jobs could be created immediately by allowing the government to place special energy meters in every household that would tell individuals when to turn their lights off or that they were using too much energy. Here is just another example of the kind of unconstitutional government intrusion into our lives the administration has in store for us.
     Perhaps, it would do the administration and our elected leaders some good to locate a copy of the U.S. Constitution and read it, unless they have already gathered up every copy in Washington and had them shipped off to the Charmin factory to be processed into toilet paper, along with the Bill of Rights.
     One final example of the agenda, is the GIVE Act, now being considered in the Senate. This piece of legislation provides for a mandatory service requirement for Americans and has references to special youth camps. The bill when read in its entirety, which very few Senators will actually read, is reminiscent of the Hitler youth camps that were instrumental to the growth and power of the Nazi regime.
     Finally, it is time for all of us to wake up and realize that one by one our liberties are being sacrificed in exchange for security, be it economic or physical. We are still the last best hope of the world, but if we refuse to stand for liberty, all that will be left of our great promise, will be the ruins of another great empire that burned brightly for just a little while before being snuffed out. We will be a footnote in history, taking our place alongside empires like the the roman empire on the pages of a history lesson. However, we are the engine that drives and controls the mechanisms put in place by the founding fathers. There is no other time. There is no other place in history that deserves our attention more. This is our opportunity to make a stand for principle and set an example for our children and our children's children.

     Assume for a moment that your best friend has lost his high paying job, not hard to do with unemployment on the rise, and he comes to you and starts telling you that he's gone out and purchased one of those new I-phones, a new Ipod Touch, bought every member in his family (himself included) an entire new wardrobe, and is thinking of cashing in his 401k to buy a 2009 Maserati Gran Turismo (which according to edmunds.com MSRP is $117,500).  It would be hard to imagine anyone foolish enough to rationalize the wisdom of this scenario, let alone, anyone foolhardy enough to actually pursue such an insane spending spree under those conditions. However, it appears that the elected administration in Washington, as well as the representatives we have sent to serve us there, have decided that such a course of action is not only wise, but also, noble.
     During one of the greatest recessions in history, our federal government has decided that the wisest course of action is to pass legislation authorizing the largest spending spree in history.  They authorized nearly 800 billion dollars in spending under the disguise of economic stimulus, over 400 billion in an omnibus spending bill packed with pet projects, and now the Obama administration is proposing around 3.5 trillion in budget spending. According to the Congressional Budget Office, "the cumulative deficit from 2010 to 2019 under the President’s proposals would total $9.3 trillion, compared with a cumulative deficit of $4.4 trillion projected under the current-law assumptions embodied in CBO’s baseline. Debt held by the public would rise, from 41 percent of GDP in 2008 to 57 percent in 2009 and then to 82 percent of GDP by 2019 (compared with 56 percent of GDP in that year under baseline assumptions)." see http://cboblog.cbo.gov/?p=216
     We can't afford the massive spending sprees of our "non-representing" representatives, and we don't need the government meddling in the free markets.  These spending measures are being made by borrowing from our children, printing more and more money (which devalues our dollar and leads to inflation), and raising taxes on a massive, punitive scale. If that doesn't bother you, it no doubt will when you receive the bill.
     What bill? Well, if you own a small business, earn over 250,000 dollars a year, and file taxes as a sole-proprietor, like many do, you are one of those being targeted by a socialist, redistributive tax hike. Even those individuals who earn less than 250,000 will be taxed through a proposed "cap and trade" tax on energy, which will be passed on to the consumer. Many of us have looked at our electric or phone bill and seen the fees listed as government taxes and fees, so it is not a stretch to assume that any additional tax on energy would not show up on a consumers electric bill. This is just the tip of the iceberg, and we need to make our objections heard now, and loudly.
     Finally, in closing, the government has mismanaged nearly every program it has touched, and it isn't likely that their performance, meddling in the private sector in the name of restoring the economy, is going to improve. In fact, every attempt so far by this administration has resulted in greater damage to our economy. Need an example? Look at the AIG mess, or listen to Jim Cramer refer to Obama's policies as the largest wealth destroyer in history. see http://www.mainstreet.com/article/moneyinvesting/news/cramer-my-response-white-house?page=2

Mike the Maintenance Man

P.S. Maybe I will join some of you out there and send my own teabag in protest.