2 More Predictions

I'm starting to sound like that psychic that went out of business- what was her name?  You think she'd have seen that coming, eh?  Well, the predictions I made about a month ago came true- gas prices continued to go down, and the stock market is back up from where it was at the time and from its lowest point in recent weeks.  Someone just wrote the USA out a serious reality check and brought things back into alignment with where they probably should have been.  Hopefully now, things will start to stabilize- I'm HOPING.  That's not the prediction.  But hopefully housing will pick back up, prices at the stores will stop going up and gas will stay down.  The people that lost money in they market- unfortunately it wasn't real money.... they never really held it in their hands, did they?  No, it was what they hoped would be there when they cashed in- or "bought a collar" and sold their stocks, etc.  The only REAL guaranteed investment policy is to "store your treasure in heaven."  (Matt. 6)  Okay, maybe that was an extra prediction thrown in for free.  Here are the real two I was gittin at:::

1- Whomever loses the presidential election will probably NOT be a gracious loser, neither will most of the people that voted for that candidate.  There will probably be some recounts in close districts, etc.  There will even, most likely be litigation, finger pointing, name calling and racial accusations.

2- Whomever wins the presidential election will probably NOT be a gracious winner, neither will most of the people that voted for that candidate. There will probably be some recounts in close districts, etc.  There will even, most likely be litigation, finger pointing, name calling and racial accusations. 

Maybe I make some safe predictions.  Maybe I just state the obvious.  Either way- it's just about being prepared.  Don't get caught up in the mob.  Be gracious.  Accept the results of what has taken place as having passed through the hands of God.  Remember- He's still in control.  The sun will still rise on Wed (another prediction), life will go on (yet another), we'll get through better and worse times than this (ok this is getting ridiculous).  Have a great night!  

Go VOTE!

Remember they're doing it different this year due to the anticipated huge turnout this year- Republicans vote on Tuesday, Democrats on Wednesday, Independents on the second Tuesday of next week.  :-)

You Really Can Learn From Anyone!

There is very little that I agree with that Penn Jillette (comedian/illusionist/confusionist) says.  However, the other week he said something that made a whole lotta sense.  As an aside, he is loosely endorsing the libertarian candidate Bob Barr, who seems way too conservative to get his endorsement.  Even stranger, he would probably endorse Ron Paul even faster if Penn were not tied to the libertarian party.  Anyway, as these odd things continue- Penn said that we should remember in this election NOT to vote for the person that we think is the smartest (although I am sure the pundits and late nighters will have their way with the intelligence, or lack thereof, of whomever is elected), NOT for the one that is most qualified, makes the best speeches, promises, yada yada yada:::.  He stated ever so eloquently- vote for the one whose values with which you agree.  I couldn't agree more!  

The next president, as with all presidents having the potential, could nominate multiple Supreme Court Justices.  These Justices do NOT have term limits.  They can serve on the bench for as long as they are capable.  If the next president places 3 of them in the next few years- it could shape our nation for generations to come!  This is only ONE area of many that the president will help shape, mold and guide our nation.  His (or her) VALUES are going to determine his or her path.

Let me add to this thing of voting for VALUES- that typically, people will do what they have a history of doing.  Right now, all of the people running for all of the offices (nationally and locally) are giving a lot of lip service.  They will say and do just about anything to get elected.  Their jobs and livelihoods are sometimes depending on these votes.   Imagine what you might do or say (especially if you didn't have much in the scruples or morals categories) to tell people to vote for you to keep your job?  How many of the promises have all of these politicians kept in the past?  Collectively, even?  They will do what they have done.  Find out what they have done:::  check it out here-  http://www.ontheissues.org/default.htm - and as I have hinted, make sure you check out the VP's values as well and your local candidates for office.  

10 Predictions about the election results

Regardless of who wins in the elections Tuesday, these things will still be true:

(these have been sent out before, I talked about them yesterday::: they will continue to be true for the remainder of this age)

1. The Bible will still have all the answers.
All Scripture is inspired by God and is useful to teach us what is true and to make us realize what is wrong in our lives. It straightens us out and teaches us to do what is right. It is God's way of preparing us in every way, fully equipped for every good thing God wants us to do. 2 Timothy 3.16-17 

2. Prayer will still work.
A song for the ascent to Jerusalem. I took my troubles to the LORD; I cried out to him, and he answered my prayer. Psalm 120.1

3. The Holy Spirit will still be at work.
But when the Holy Spirit controls our lives, he will produce this kind of fruit in us: love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness, and self-control. Here there is no conflict with the law. Galatians 5.22-23

4. God will still be in control.
The king's heart is like a stream of water directed by the LORD; he turns it wherever he pleases. Proverbs 21.1

5. God will still use the preaching of the Gospel. 


For I am not ashamed of this Good News about Christ. It is the power of God at work, saving everyone who believes – Jews first and also Gentiles. Romans 1.16

6. There will still be singing of praise to God.
Sing praise to God, sing praises; sing praise to our King, sing praises! Psalm 47.6

7. God will still pour out blessings upon His people.
For I will give you abundant water to quench your thirst and to moisten your parched fields. And I will pour out my Spirit and my blessings on your children. Isaiah 44.3

8. There will still be room at the cross.
The Lord isn't really being slow about his promise to return, as some people think. No, he is being patient for your sake. He does not want anyone to perish, so he is giving more time for everyone to repent. 2 Peter 3.9

9. Jesus is still coming again. 


But the day of the Lord will come as unexpectedly as a thief. Then the heavens will pass away with a terrible noise, and everything in them will disappear in fire, and the earth and everything on it will be exposed to judgment. 2 Peter 3.10



10. Jesus will continue to save sinners and continue to build His church.
Now I say to you that you are Peter, and upon this rock I will build my church, and all the powers of hell will not conquer it. Matthew 16.18  

But this is a democracy.... isn't it?

"I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America, and to the Republic for which it stands, one Nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all."

I hear many people complaining about many thing in our nation. The one thing that seems to arise every fourth year about this time is about the electoral college. "We should just have a popular vote and be done with it, the electoral college thing is stupid." As the great philosopher Forrest Gump has well stated, "Momma always said, 'stupid is as stupid does.'"

I think it's as simple as the simple (and single) difference between a democracy and a republic. In a republic the sovereignty is in each individual person. In a democracy the sovereignty is in the group.

In a Democracy the sovereignty is in the whole body of citizens. The sovereignty is not divided to individual citizens. To solve a problem the whole body acts. Also, being citizens, individuals have duties and obligations to the government. The government's only obligations to the citizens are those legislatively pre-defined for it by the whole body.

In a Republic the sovereignty resides in the people themselves, whether one or many. One may act on his own or through his representatives as he chooses to solve a problem. The people have no obligation to the government; instead, the government being hired by the people, is obliged to its owner, the people.

The United States is actually a mixture of both to a certain extent (Republican under Common Law, and democratic under statutory law). The People enjoy their God-given natural rights in the Republic. In a democracy, the Citizens enjoy only government granted privileges (also known as civil rights).

The following comes from Training Manual No. 2000-25 published by the War Department, November 30, 1928.

DEMOCRACY:

• A government of the masses.
  
• Authority derived through mass meeting or any other form of "direct" expression.
  
• Results in mobocracy.
  
• Attitude toward property is communistic--negating property rights.
  
• Attitude toward law is that the will of the majority shall regulate, whether is be based upon deliberation or governed by passion, prejudice, and impulse, without restraint or regard to consequences.
  
• Results in demogogism, license, agitation, discontent, anarchy.
  

REPUBLIC:

• Authority is derived through the election by the people of public officials best fitted to represent them.
  
• Attitude toward law is the administration of justice in accord with fixed principles and established evidence, with a strict regard to consequences.
  
• A greater number of citizens and extent of territory may be brought within its compass.
  
• Avoids the dangerous extreme of either tyranny or mobocracy.
  
• Results in statesmanship, liberty, reason, justice, contentment, and progress.
  
• Is the "standard form" of government throughout the world.
  

One more very short analogy if I may:::   One vote in a jury can stop all of the majority from depriving any one of the people of his rights; this would not be so if the United States were purely a democracy.

YOUR VOTE COUNTS

IF YOU DECIDE NOT TO VOTE,  you may think that it won't make a difference.  If a thousand other people in your area did the same thing, it would make a huge difference.  Here's a random site with how just a few votes decided some elections in the past- http://members.misty.com/don/whyvote.html. One example- In 1980 in Massachusetts, Reagan beat Carter by only 6,000 votes. Full turnout in just one neighborhood could have changed Reagan's margin of victory and his claims of nationwide mandate.

...more to follow later

*some info adapted from "law notes" www.1215.org & www.c4cg.org