MAJORITY OF AMERICANS OPPOSE TAXPAYER FUNDED ABORTIONS, BUT DEMOCRATS PRESS ON!

Weekly Opinion Editorial 

HYDE AMENDMENT UNDER ATTACK!

by Steve Fair

 

         The Hyde Amendment is a legislative provision that bars the use of federal tax dollars to pay for abortions, except to save the life of the woman or if the pregnancy arises from rape or incest.  It was passed in 1976 by a vote of 312-93 in the U.S. House.  It was named for Republican Congressman Henry Hyde of Illinois and has saved an estimated 2.5 million unborn children since it’s inception.  It was the first major legislative gain by the pro-life movement after the Roe vs. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court in 1973.  Congress has altered the Hyde amendment several times through the years.  In 2017, then Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, (R-Wi) passed HR 7, which would have made the Hyde amendment permanent, but it failed to pass the Senate and did not become law. Three observations:

     First, the Democratic Party platform calls for the repeal of the Hyde amendment.  It was added to the platform in 2016.  It says: We believe unequivocally, like the majority of Americans, that every woman should have access to quality reproductive health care services, including safe and legal abortion—regardless of where she lives, how much money she makes, or how she is insured.  Democrats believe the American taxpayer should fund abortion- whether they agree with it or not.

     Democrats cite statistics that the Hyde amendment disproportionately affects lower income women, saying that 42% of abortion recipients live below the poverty line.  In President Biden’s 2021 budget to Congress, he removed the long-standing ban on federal funded abortions.  Biden, a lifelong Catholic, supported the Hyde amendment for decades but during the 2020 presidential election he promised he would work to get it repealed.  “Women’s rights and women’s health are under assault like we haven’t seen in the last 50 years.  If I believe health is a right, as I do, I can no longer support the Hyde amendment,” Biden said during the campaign.

     Second, the fight to retain the Hyde amendment will be in the U.S. Senate.  With Democrats in control of the U.S. House, it is likely they will vote to repeal the amendment.  There are just two pro-life Democrats left in the House.  There are only three Democrats in the Senate.  Those five are the firewall.  It appears the Hyde amendment will not be repealed this year, but the Democratic Party has primaried pro-life members in the past two election cycles, defeating a Democrat pro-life Congressman last year.  It makes the 2022 election cycle very important for the unborn.    

     Third, a majority of Americans oppose taxpayer funded abortions.  In a January 2021 poll conducted by the Marist Institute for Public Opinion, 58% of Americans oppose or strongly oppose using tax dollars to pay for abortions.  The poll found 65% of voters registered Independent, 31% registered Democrat and 85% of Republicans opposed.  Democrats run the risk of aliening pro-life Democrats if they continue to push for repeal of Hyde.

     The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) reports there are 11.2 abortions per 1,000 women of childbearing age in America.  There are over 800,000 babies aborted in the United States each year.  President Biden says he believes in the right to health care, but the unborn American’s’ ‘right to health care’ is under savage assault.  The first shot of the assault is the repeal of the Hyde amendment.

Biden's Socialist Economic Policies driving Inflation!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

INFLATION IS A MUGGER!

by Steve Fair

     Inflation occurs when the purchasing power of the dollar declines.  When the price of a basket of selected goods and services rise due to increased costs to produce the good and service, inflation happens.  For years, economists have believed increased US government economic policy(regulations/restrictions/intervention) would keep inflation to a minimum.  But in the past six months, major grain. oilseed and edible oil prices are at historical highs, crude oil prices are at six times the year ago level and freight rates are up +25%.  Food prices according to the USDA have increased by 3-4% each month since March.  Investors are nervous and Wall Street has stalled.  Consumers are seeing increased prices at the shelf and at the pump.  Inflation has returned and it is the result of bad economic policy.  Three observations:

     First, some inflation can be healthy for an economy if it is a by-product of a growing economy.  But it needs to be controlled and temporary.  The current inflation trend is neither.  Criticism of President Biden’s economic policies comes from not only Republicans, but Democrats as well.  Lawrence Summers, former Secretary of Treasury in the Clinton administration and a former economic advisor to President Obama says President Biden’s stimulus plan has been the driving force behind recent inflation.  Summers says Biden and his policies are causing “inflationary pressure of a kind we have not seen in a generation, with consequences for the value of the dollar and financial stability.”

     Second, President Biden’s economic policy is not free market driven.  By continuing to send citizens stimulus checks and unemployment payments, Biden has hurt the economy.  Employers across America can’t get people to work because they can stay home and make as much money not working.  Promoting laziness, idleness and sloth is not good economic policy.  The cornerstone of Biden’s economic policy is tax increases and more government spending, which he believes will get inflation under control.  President Reagan said, “People who think a tax boost will cure inflation are the same ones who believe another drink will cure a hangover.”

     Third, millennials have no reference point in regard to economic inflation.  Before most of them were born, in the late 70s and early 80s, inflation was out of control in the U.S.  In 1975, the annual inflation rate was 10.1%.  It was 9.6% in 1981.  Home mortgage rates were over 10% APR.  In 1980, President Jimmy Carter was defeated by Ronald Reagan, primarily because of inflation and the economy.   President Reagan took a three-pronged approach to curbing inflation; (1) Reduced government spending on domestic programs, (2) Reduced taxes, and (3) Reduced the burden of regulations on businesses.  During Reagan’s two terms (8 years), the U.S. economy was turned around and inflation brought under control, using supply side economic policy.

     The real issue with inflation is wages don’t increase as fast as consumer prices increase.  That hurts consumer confidence and stalls the economy.  President Reagan said, “Inflation is as violent as a mugger, as frightening as an armed robber and as deadly as a hit man.”  Hopefully the inflation rates of 40 years ago will not be seen again, but socialist economic policy coupled with more government regulation could make that possible.

G7 MEMBER NATIONS DO NOT SHARE AMERICA'S VALUES!

 Weekly Opinion Editorial

G7 USES U.S. AS ATM!

by Steve Fair

     In 1973, then Secretary of Treasury George Schultz convened an informal meeting of the five top economic democracies in the world in order to discuss how to get inflation and monetary exchange rates under control.  That group evolved to became the Group of Seven(G7), an inter-governmental political forum that seeks solutions to issues of trade, security and economics in the world. The seven countries- Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom(UK), and the United States account for 10% of the globe’s population, but have 60% of the world’s net wealth and one third of the worlds GDP.

    This past week, President Joe Biden made his first out of the country trip since being elected, attending the G7 summit in England.  He said the gathering was ‘an extraordinarily collaborative and productive meeting.’  He went on to say that his engagement with the other leaders in the G7 was met with ‘genuine enthusiasm.’  Biden announced at the meeting that American taxpayers will pay for 500 million coronavirus vaccine doses to be used throughout the world.  The president pressed the group to push for a minimum 15% corporate income global tax.  A point of fact; corporations don’t pay taxes, consumers do.  Corporations simply pass taxes and fees onto their customers in the form of price increases. Biden also walked back President Trump’s demand that European countries pay their fair share in NATO.

     “America’s back in the business of leading the world alongside nations who share our most deeply held values.  I think we’ve made progress in reestablishing American credibility among our closest friends.” Biden said.  Three observations:

     First, most of the members of the G7 do not share the U.S.’s most deeply held values.  America is a democratic republic founded on a specific written document.  The US constitution grants unprecedented and very specific rights to American citizens.  It is codified(written down/systematized).  In the UK the constitution is uncodified(unwritten).  The British form of government allows parliament to enact laws no other body can challenge.  Most of the members of the G7 are democratic socialist nations, with similar forms of government to the UK.  Most despise capitalism and a constitutional republic form of government. 

     Second, a friend doesn’t let you pay their bills.  The reason President Trump wasn’t popular among G7 leaders was because he pushed them to pay their fair share.  The North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) was founded to stop the Soviet Union from propping up shadow governments in Europe after WWII.  It was to be funded by the member nations.  Since it’s formation, the US has foot the bill. 

     In 2014, after some pressure, Germany agreed to spend 2% of GDP on their military defense, but have never spent more than half that.  Germany, and 27 other nations in the alliance, allow United States taxpayers to fund 70% of the cost to protect Europe.  Those types are called freeloaders, moochers, bloodsuckers, leeches or parasites, but certainly not friends. 

     Third, America’s credibility took a hit at the G7.  During President Trump’s term, he called out the member nations unwillingness to pay their fair share.   Credibility involves trustworthiness, integrity, and character.  Biden’s return to the same ‘open checkbook’ policies of the Obama years were met with enthusiasm, but rest assured the other six members of the G7 respected and feared America more under the Trump administration. 

     In its infancy the G7 forums served a purpose- to stabilize the world’s out of control inflation and fluctuating currency exchanges.  G7 still deals with those issues but its primary initiative has moved to spending taxpayer money on global initiatives that have little to do with economic stability.  G7 is an organization pushing a global agenda using the US as little more than an ATM machine. 

 

WWII Vets who stormed Omaha Beach didn't doubt the cause! They were committed to it!

 Weekly Opinon Editorial

MORE THAN SELF

by Steve Fair

     Sunday June 6th marked the 77^th anniversary of the beginning of the Battle of Normandy- codenamed Operation Overlord.  The battle lasted for two months and ultimately resulted in the liberation of Western Europe from Nazi Germany’s control. 156,000 American, British and Canadian forces landed on five beaches along a 50 mile stretch of France’s Normandy region.  73,000 Americans, 63,000 British, and 20,000 Canadian troops, 5,000 ships and landing craft, and 11,000 aircraft were involved in the largest military assaults in modern history. General Dwight D. Eisenhower, commander of the Allied troops, told the troops: “You are about to embark upon the Great Crusade, toward which we have striven these many months.  The eyes of the world are upon you.”   The landings have been called the beginning of the end of war in Europe.  Less than a year after the invasion, Germany unconditionally surrendered. 

      More than 8,300 American soldiers lost their life that day on the five beaches- Allied troops total losses were 12,000- most of them at Omaha Beach.  Germany had twice that number of fatalities.  That evening, in 1944, President Franklin Roosevelt spoke to the nation via radio.  Instead of making a speech, FDR offered a prayer.  That’s right, a liberal Democratic president prayed to Almighty God.  The text of that prayer is available online and every American should read it.    Three observations about D day:

     First, The Allied forces were liberating, not conquering.  Some critics of the invasion claim America wasn’t under any threat, even though Hitler had declared war on the U.S. in December of 1941.  They believe the thousands of young Americans who lost their life liberating people in a faraway land were simply pawns of the U.S. government.  But Americans in 1944 believed there was a cause.  Nazi Germany had killed millions of Jews, Poles, and other Europeans in Hitler’s attempt to build a ‘super race.’  Freedom in countries under Nazi rule was non-existent.  They saw Nazi Germany as a threat to their way of life.

     Second, we don’t really understand what a Nazi was.  The evil actions of Nazi Germany were some of the most oppressive, cruel and wicked recorded in human history.  When a civil rights activist calls a political opponent a Nazi, they reveal they don’t really understand what a Nazi was.  Nazis didn’t allow freedom of speech or dissenting in their totalitarian system of rule.   Throwing the term Nazi around those who disagree is reckless and careless.

     Third, it’s doubtful modern-day Americans could/would participate in another D day.  The dedication to the cause of freedom that doesn’t direct impact them isn’t there.  They will fight for their individual freedom, but collective freedom and a way of life?  It’s not their battle.  They take a laissez faire attitude toward any cause that doesn’t direct impact them.  They are woken, enlightened, and illuminated, but most lack the courage to storm a beach to fight for freedom. 

     President Ronald Reagan spoke from Omaha Beach in 1984 on the 50^th anniversary of the invasion.  He said, “What inspired all the men of the armies that met here? It was faith and belief; it was loyalty and love. The men of Normandy had faith that what they were doing was right, faith that they fought for all humanity, faith that a just God would grant them mercy on this beachhead or on the next. It was the deep knowledge — and pray God we have not lost it — that there is a profound, moral difference between the use of force for liberation and the use of force for conquest. You were here to liberate, not to conquer, and so you and those others did not doubt your cause. And you were right not to doubt”

     Thank God for people who ‘more than self, their country loved,’ otherwise woken Americans would be speaking German.