Marcus Tullius Cicero famously said, "Extremism in the defense of liberty is no vice; moderation in the pursuit of justice is no virtue.” Those thoughts came to this reporter's mind as I stood applauding with over two dozen enthusiastic Tea Party members in Tavares last night. The standing ovation was in appreciation for an impassioned speech given by Constitutional Originalist KrisAnne Hall, who made the long trip from near Lake City to share her vision of a re-educated, and rekindled, America. Hall is a meticulous researcher and had the full attention of every audience member as she led them step by step though the reasons the U. S. Constitution Bill of Rights came to be, starting with the Magna Carta. Hall's one hour talk, aimed squarely at the eyes, ears, and souls of a room of adults blessed with a refreshing 9 year old homeschooler, will not easily be forgotten. Hall's main message is that tyrants in various guises stand ready at all times to usurp our God-given rights if we don't constantly refresh our knowledge of those rights. Rex Harrill 2 Comments Is this 2010 or 1920? 02/11/2010
In 1921, Warren Harding became President in a situation much like today’s. The country was in a depression, the national debt was growing, unemployment was 20%, only then the country had experienced a period of high inflation. Not all that different from today with the exception of the high inflation (although that is very likely on its way). Harding had a plan:
By 1922, after implementing his plan, the economy was already improving. Although Harding’s premature death did not allow him to see the results, Calvin Coolidge elected to continue Harding’s policies. The result was the “roaring twenties”. Unemployment fell to 3%, unemployment and inflation declined, while Gross National Product rose an average of 7% from 1924 to 1929. Productivity, wages and profits also grew rapidly during the 1920’s. Harding slashed federal spending by two billion dollars from Wilson’s final budget (that was a lot in the 1920s) and Coolidge limited spending to 3.3 billion dollars for the rest of the decade, while the tax cuts resulted in increased revenues. The net result was that Wilson’s debt was reduced by a third. Lower taxes and increasing growth made the middle class prosper. More people were able to afford luxury goods as well as have more time to enjoy life. The technology of the time also boomed with the development of affordable household appliances appearing in middle class homes. The policies of Harding and Coolidge created and era of prosperity we would not experience again until the Reagan tax cuts in the 1980’s. The one significant difference between Harding and Coolidge, and the Reagan years is they were able to slash spending while Reagan was never able to get that done. While some blame the stock market crash of 1929 and the depression that followed on the policies of Harding and Coolidge, those charges are simple not true. Good times do lead to over confidence and over confidence leads people to take excessive risks and speculate. This was true in the twenties as well as recent years. These excessive risks can cause markets to fall. However, then as now, it is the errors of policy makers during those speculative corrections that cause depressions. If governments were to act to curb excessive speculation as it grew, rather than using its aftermath as an excuse to expand government, recessions might still occur but they would prove to be short and shallow events which would serve to curb excesses and realign resources, rather than result in traumatic events like the one we are currently experiencing. Today our government is patterning its response to the current recession after Roosevelt’s ten years of pain in the thirties. Those lost years resulted from government expansion, increased regulation and make work spending programs like the Administration is proposing today. If it were not for the Second World War, no one knows how long the depression would have lasted. The Obama Administration is predicting a long, slow recovery. Some are talking about a “new normal” of minimal growth and high unemployment. Based upon the policies they are currently implementing they are probably right. However, if we followed a course similar to Harding’s, we could create a new era of prosperity and growth for our country. Tax cuts are great but only if paired with spending restraint. While many are proud to proclaim themselves to be "Reagan Conservatives" perhaps we should all become "Harding Conservatives." Dear North Lake TEA Party Patriots, If 2009 was the year of Awakening, then 2010 will be the year of Reckoning! I'd like to take a moment and recap what the NLTP accomplished in 2009. Remember, YOU are the North Lake TEA Party. Over 1,000 Patriots were "Silent No More!" on April 15th. You came out of your homes and places of business at noon on a Wednesday to declare that you had had enough and you weren't going to take it anymore. The movement began. We continued at the steps of Eustis City Hall on May 6th for the National Day of Prayer, a street protest on June 14th in honor of National Flag Day and an explosive July 4th TEA Party with an attendance of over 1200 Patriots! Locally, we showed up to defeat the city of Eustis' property purchase with money they didn't have, helped defeat the city of Tavares' from assessing churches and non-profits with a fire tax, and helped defeat Lake County moving forward with a $95 million dollar extravagent Judicial Center. Did I mention we did all that in one week? That's right, we even threw in a Healthcare Protest in front of Grayson's Tavares office that same week. Speaking of Healthcare, we attended AARP's farce of a meeting in Leesburg and helped educate those in attendance by clarifying AARP's true position on the proposed bill and answer questions. That was a lot of fun :) What Congress planned on passing last year hasn't happened yet. Do you know why? Patriots like YOU have been tirelessly and relentlessly calling, writing and protesting. What else hasn't been passed? Cap and Tax is still waiting on the sidelines and without YOU, may have been law by now. It was a great summer of town hall meetings and NLTP meetings followed. Our motto of "Education and Action" was certainly being employed! On Sept. 12th over 100 folks from Lake County traveled to Washington DC for the Taxpayer March on Washington and joined 2 million of our best Patriot friends from across the Nation. Once home, we shared slides and stories with those who were unable to attend. It was great time of inspiration and continued resolve to grow our movement. Of course throughout all of the above, communication through NLTP Posts helped coordinate our emails and calls to our Congressmen and Congresswomen. Did you feel like your voice was heard? I didn't either. However, in unison with millions of Patriots across America, much HAS been accomplished and we HAVE made a difference! Did I mention another product of our North Lake TEA Party movement? I'm running for Alan Grayson's seat. Your voice deserves to be heard. As I said, 2010 will be the Year of Reckoning! It begins now, at our first NLTP meeting of the year Wednesday, January13 6th at 6:30pm at the Tavares Civic Center. More details can be found here: www.NorthLakeTeaParty.com I look forward to seeing you there as we begin writing our plan of action for how YOU will continue to make an impact locally and nationally. Your ideas and input and presence are appreciated! Without YOU, there is no NLTP. In service, Patricia Sullivan Have Sign...Will Travel: Here are the details for welcoming our Congressman to Lake County. Be at 6951 Old US 441 in Mt. Dora at 4:15, on Monday, October 12. He will be dining at Ki Ku Restaurant at 5. Park on the berm on 441 so there will be no private property issues. From there he is going to the Tavares Civic Center. Doors open at 6:30, if you want a pass to get in, call his office at 407.841.1757. They will email you a pass so you don't have to stand in line. I will be outside with our sign carrying Patriots. Tailgate Party: As soon as Grayson arrives, we will move to Tavares. I received the following note from one of our Patriots: "We own Ft. Smith Professional Center which is two blocks West of the Civic Center in Tavares. People can park there in our parking lot and all up and down Texas Avenue both ways". That means the Tailgate Party is on. The offering will be a sandwich, chips, and an apple for $5. Once again, the Garden Gate in Mt. Dora is preparing the food. If you were there for the last Tailgate Party you will remember how tasty it is. Please RSVP so I know how many to purchase. You may pay at the party. The party will take place at 5:30 to 5:45 in case you are unable to attend the Mt Dora event. After the Party, we will walk down to the Civic Center to be there in time for Grayson's arrival. If you are new to the wonderful world of signs, ideas for what to say were in the last email. He is scheduled to arrive at 7, so the timing is perfect, we will be there about 6:30-6:45. Hello Parents For those of you with children in public schools who wish to educate your educators on what the Federal government, The President and Mr. Duncan, Director of the US Department of Education wishes to do to our current system, Send them all this assignment: Dear Principal, Superintendent, Lawmakers, etc IN reply to your approval to accepting a lesson plan from the President and the US Department of Education and disrupt my child's education with this new "civic lesson" I demand that you watch this video with Mr. Duncan explaining how he intends on running the US Department of Education. Afterwards, I demand answer the following 12 simple questions and return this to me today. Non-compliance is not an option. Send this video http://www.ed.gov/news/av/video/2009/04/04282009a.html 1) What are the four goals Mr. Duncan wishes to advance while he is the director of the US Department of Education? 2) Do you disagree with his assessment that "50 States doing their own thing doesn't really make sense?" 3) Have you, as Mr. Duncan states, ever lied to your students (my child) that your curriculum will help promote them through their education "career?" 4) Would you like the State and Local School Board systems to be abolished for a single "common" Federal Education system as Mr. Duncan intends on building? 5) Do you think it is acceptable for the Federal Government to obtain each students (my child's) education records so that "WE KNOW" (the US Department of Education in Washington, DC) everything about each minor in this country? 6) Do you think that by the US Dept. of EDU sending a homework assignment directly to schools, disregarding our current laws and system to review material and approval process through the state and local school boards is appropriate for the US Department of Education to partake in? 7) What type of assignment would you object to that comes to you in this manor? 8) Do you think that the Federal Government should have the power to re-assign teachers from one school to another in the name of "fairness" regardless of where the teacher wishes to teach? 9) Do you think a "common experience" throughout out each of these 50 states can be achieved through the Federal Government taking over our current education system? 10) What do you think would happen to all our local and regional cultures and history if we allowed the federal government to spread its will over all of us without regard the local people? 11) Will you join the parents in protecting our current state and local education system, allowing the people who know the children in their school district to keep jurisdiction over the curriculum of your school? 12) Will you refuse any assignments that come to you from the US Department of Education with going through the normal process every other bit of material MUST go through prior to bringing it to the children (my child) in your school in the future? That's what I'd do. Donna The Direction of the North Lake TEA Party 07/11/2009
Greetings North Lake TEA Party Patriots! Dear North Lake TEA Party Patriots, Greetings Patriots! City of Eustis Alert! 06/03/2009
Latest Rasmussen Report on Taxes 05/26/2009
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