Monthly Archives: July 2012

Ringo Starr on tour 2012 (Part 3)

July 12, 2012 – 6:28 am

I went  to a Ringo Starr concert on July 4, 2012 at Orange Beach, AL and enjoyed it very much and here are some of the songs I heard that night:

Concert review – Ringo Starr at Symphony Hall, Birmingham

Tuesday 21st June 2011, 12:52PM BST.

Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band, Birmingham
Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band,  Birmingham
Ringo Starr and his All Starr Band,  Birmingham Symphony Hall, Concert review by Phil  Gillam

Yes, yes, of course it was terribly ‘cabaret’ at times, but what were you  expecting, for goodness sake? This is Ringo.

Now, you might say there are two types of performer in popular music: the  artist (such as Bob Dylan) and the entertainer (such as Engelbert Humperdink).  Ringo has never professed to be an artist, but he’s never stopped being an  entertainer. And entertain is what he did supremely well last night.

“If you don’t know this next song, you’re in the wrong venue,” he told the crowd as  he launched, into Yellow Submarine.

Surrounded by top-notch, if ancient, musicians – all of whom were major  players in their time – Ringo, a sprightly 70 years old, gave us energetic  renditions of Honey Don’t, Back Off Boogaloo, Photograph, and of course  With A Little Help From My Friends.

Starr has suffered down the years at the hands of critics.  But it turns out  the mop-top caricatures of John the thinker, Paul the romantic, George the  mystic and Ringo the clown were pretty accurate after all.

Last night he proved he was still the clown, still the master entertainer,  and still, a much better drummer than many give him credit for. Ringo . . .  you’re fab.

Photos – Jason Sheldon /  Junction10 Photography

Read more:  http://www.expressandstar.com/entertainment/2011/06/21/concert-review-ringo-starr-at-symphony-hall-birmingham/#ixzz1zlqZ0umd

Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach at their wedding 1981«

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Ringo Starr – “Wings” 1/31/2012 Craig Ferguson

Here is a song off of the new album “Ringo Starr 2012.”

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Dear Senator Pryor, why not pass the Balanced Budget Amendment? (“Thirsty Thursday”, Open letter to Senator Pryor)

July 12, 2012 – 6:00 am

Dear Senator Pryor,

Why not pass the Balanced Budget Amendment? As you know that federal deficit is at all time high (1.6 trillion deficit with revenues of 2.2 trillion and spending at 3.8 trillion).

On my blog www.HaltingArkansasLiberalswithTruth.com I took you at your word and sent you over 100 emails with specific spending cut ideas. However, I did not see any of them in the recent debt deal that Congress adopted. Now I am trying another approach. Every week from now on I will send you an email explaining different reasons why we need the Balanced Budget Amendment. It will appear on my blog on “Thirsty Thursday” because the government is always thirsty for more money to spend.

In this paper below you will read:

America cannot raise taxes to continue overspending, because tax hikes shrink our economy and grow our government. America cannot borrow more to continue overspending, because borrowing puts an enormous financial burden on the American children of tomorrow. A BBA will help address this long-term problem because, after the multi-year process for securing ratification of the BBA by three-quarters of the states, the BBA will keep federal spending under control in subsequent years.

Washington has not been able to cut spending so the BBA is needed to force Washington to do the right thing. Your father David Pryor was the governor of Arkansas and he knew what it meant to have a balanced budget by mandate.

Thank you again for this opportunity to share my ideas with you.

Sincerely,

Everette Hatcher, lowcostsqueegees@yahoo.com

Balanced Budget Amendment: Cut Spending Later, Cut Spending Now

March 31, 2011

 

Two key principles should govern congressional consideration of an amendment to the U.S. Constitution that requires the federal government to balance its budget:

  • First Principle: A Balanced Budget Amendment (BBA) is important to help bring long-term fiscal responsibility to America’s future when the BBA takes effect after ratification by three-quarters of the state legislatures; it is equally important for Congress to cut spending nowto address the current overspending crisis.
  • Second Principle: An effective BBA will include three elements to: (a) control spending, taxation, and borrowing, (b) ensure the defense of America, and (c) enforce the requirement to balance the budget.

Cuts for the Future, Cuts for the Present

Federal spending is out of control—both obligations for the future and spending right now.

Congress must get spending under control in the long term. America cannot raise taxes to continue overspending, because tax hikes shrink our economy and grow our government. America cannot borrow more to continue overspending, because borrowing puts an enormous financial burden on the American children of tomorrow. A BBA will help address this long-term problem because, after the multi-year process for securing ratification of the BBA by three-quarters of the states, the BBA will keep federal spending under control in subsequent years.

Congress also must get spending under control in the short term. Federal overspending is not simply about the future, but also about the present. Under the President’s Fiscal Year 2012 Budget Submission, measured by the Congressional Budget Office, the federal government will spend $1.2 trillion more than it will take in, a gargantuan burden of additional debt forced on future generations to pay current bills.

Thus, America needs both a Balanced Budget Amendment for the long term and deep cuts in federal spending starting right now, without waiting for a BBA to take effect. As Congress considers budget resolutions, appropriations bills, appropriations continuing resolutions, and debt limit bills, Congress should take every opportunity now to cut federal spending, including for the biggest overspending problem: the ever-growing entitlement programs.

Congress should recognize that the best way to encourage state legislatures to ratify a BBA is to demonstrate, through consistent congressional cuts in spending, that the American people have the will to accept spending cuts to balance the budget.

Elements of a Successful Balanced Budget Amendment

A successful BBA will:

  • Control spending, taxing, and borrowing through a requirement to balance the budget.The BBA should cap annual spending at a level not exceeding either: (a) a specified percentage of the value of goods and services the economy produces in a year (known as gross domestic product, or GDP), or (b) the level of revenues. To ensure that Congress cannot simply balance the budget by continually raising taxes instead of cutting overspending, the BBA should require Congress to act by supermajority votes if Members wish to raise taxes. Any authority the BBA grants Congress to deal with economic slowdowns, by waiving temporarily the requirement that spending not exceed the GDP percentage or revenue level, should specify the amount of above-revenue spending allowed and require supermajority votes.
  • Defend America. The BBA should allow Congress by supermajority votes to waive temporarily compliance with the balanced budget requirement when waiver is essential to pay for the defense of Americans from attack.
  • Enforce the balanced budget requirement. The BBA should provide for its own enforcement, but must specifically exclude courts from any enforcement of the BBA, so unelected judges do not make policy decisions such as determining the appropriate level of funding for federal programs. A government that spends money in excess of its revenues must borrow to cover the difference. Therefore, to enforce the requirement to balance the budget, the BBA should prohibit government issuance of debt, except when necessary to finance a temporary deficit resulting from congressional supermajority votes discussed above.

America is in a fiscal crisis. Our government spends too much. Overspending must stop immediately. Overspending will stop only if Congress cuts spending now, including with respect to the ever-expanding entitlement programs. For the future, Congress and three-quarters of state legislatures can adopt and ratify a Balanced Budget Amendment to the U.S. Constitution to anchor the American willingness to live within a balanced budget.

David S. Addington is Vice President for Domestic and Economic Policy, and J. D. Foster, Ph.D., is Norman B. Ture Senior Fellow in the Economics of Fiscal Policy, at The Heritage Foundation.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in spending out of control | Comments (0)

Open letter to President Obama (Part 112)

July 12, 2012 – 4:07 am

Dan Mitchell on Austerity in Europe 2012

President Obama c/o The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I know that you receive 20,000 letters a day and that you actually read 10 of them every day. I really do respect you for trying to get a pulse on what is going on out here.

In order to balance the budget we must make deep cuts. Take a look at the study refers to below by Dan Mitchell of the Cato Institute in his fine article on the French mess. Raising taxes has not worked in the thirty countries studied. As President it is your job to make sure we don’t continue to head down this pass of trying to raise taxes on the job creators.

Having written several times about crazy French statism, you will understand why I like this cartoon.

Though, to be fair, France hasn’t gotten to the point where it’s being bailed out (it’s probably just a matter of time).

If you want some good analysis of the situation in Europe, Veronique de Rugy of the Mercatus Center hits the nail on the head in her column in today’s Washington Examiner.

France has yet to cut spending. In fact, to the extent that the French are frustrated with “budget cuts,” it’s only because the increase in future spending won’t be as large as they had planned. The same can be said about the United Kingdom. Spain, Italy and Greece have had no choice to cut some spending. However, in the case of these particular countries, the cuts were implemented alongside large tax increases. …This approach to austerity, also known in the United States as the “balanced approach,” has unfortunately proven a recipe for disaster. In a 2009 paper, Harvard University’s Alberto Alesina and Silvia Ardagna looked at 107 attempts to reduce the ratio of debt to gross domestic product over 30 years in countries in the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. They found fiscal adjustments consisting of both tax increases and spending cuts generally failed to stabilize the debt and were also more likely to cause economic contractions. On the other hand, successful austerity packages resulted from making spending cuts without tax increases. They also found this form of austerity is more likely associated with economic expansion rather than with recession. …While the debate over austerity continues, the evidence seems to point to the conclusion that austerity can be successful, if it isn’t modeled after the “balanced approach.” It’s a lesson for the French and other European countries, as well as for American lawmakers who often seem tempted by the lure of closing budget gaps with higher taxes.

This is similar to my recent analysis, and Veronique also is kind enough to cite my analysis of how the Baltic nations have done the right thing and cut spending.

There are obvious lessons from Europe for the United States. If politicians don’t reform entitlement programs, we’re doomed to have our own fiscal crisis at some point in the not-too-distant future.

Only there won’t be anybody there to bail us out.

_____________

Thank you so much for your time. I know how valuable it is. I also appreciate the fine family that you have and your commitment as a father and a husband.

Sincerely,

Everette Hatcher III, 13900 Cottontail Lane, Alexander, AR 72002, ph 501-920-5733, lowcostsqueegees@yahoo.com

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in President Obama, spending out of control, Taxes | Comments (0)

A way to understand the current federal budget

July 12, 2012 – 12:20 am

I got this off the internet.

U.S. Tax revenue: $2,170,000,000,000
Fed budget: $3,820,000,000,000
New debt: $1,650,000,000,000
National debt: $14,271,000,000,000
Recent budget cut: $38,500,000,000

Now, remove 8 zeros and pretend it’s a household budget

Annual family income: $21,700
Money the family spent: $38,200
New debt on the credit card: $16,500
Outstanding balance on credit card: $142,710
Total budget cuts: $385

Sort of brings the true issue “home” doesn’t it?

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By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events, spending out of control | Tagged , , , , | Comments (0)

Barrett Jones of Alabama

July 12, 2012 – 12:09 am

Alabama Coach Nick Saban speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days in Hoover, Ala. on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

FR111446 AP

Alabama Coach Nick Saban speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days in Hoover, Ala. on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

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Yesterday I talked about Alabama in the SEC football preview and I today I am profiling their best player.

I really respect Barrett Jones for his work on and off the football field.

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 Photo 1 of 3
In a friendly game of keep away, University of Alabama football player Barrett Jones demonstrates why he is a formidable opponent on the football field. The mission team he led to Nicaragua visited several schools to share the love of Christ with the children.  BP Photo.Photo Terms of Use
 
JINOTEGA, Nicaragua (BP) — Barrett Jones, a 6-foot-5-inch, 300-pound football player for the University of Alabama would stand out anywhere.But his love for God and his commitment to sharing the Gospel also make him stand out from most of his peers.”I don’t want to be known as a football player who happens to be a Christian, I want to be known as a Christian who happens to play football,” said Jones, an All-American for the 2011 national champion Crimson Tide.

At Shalom Baptist Church in Jinotega, Nicaragua, Barrett Jones, University of Alabama offensive lineman, shares a message on how God — not sports, money, success or relationships — can fill a person’s heart. Rafael Castro translates. BP Photo

A longtime member of Bellevue Baptist Church of Cordova, Tenn., near Memphis, Jones organized and led a team of 31 of his friends and family members on a mission trip to Jinotega, Nicaragua, during his spring break, March 11-16.

The team participated in several nightly revival services at Shalom Baptist Church in Jinotega and visited three public schools and an orphanage. At each location, they gave their personal testimonies, presented the Gospel story and interacted with the children by playing sports and games and simply reflecting God’s love.

The 21-year-old Jones made his priorities in his testimony at the revival service at Shalom Baptist on March 13.

“Tonight, I want to talk to you a little bit about what I’m really passionate about,” he told the crowd, “and that’s not football — it’s Jesus Christ.”

This is the third mission trip Jones has organized and led — the past two spring breaks he has taken mission teams to Haiti where they constructed bathrooms for refugees, painted a school building and built a basketball court.

“I love this trip [to Nicaragua] because it’s all about presenting the Gospel — that’s the main purpose of it,” Jones said. “It’s not to build a school — those [were] great trips, too.

“But this is the most important kind of trip,” Jones said, “… to present the Gospel. This trip could have an eternal effect, hopefully, on some people’s lives.”

Jones has garnered an impressive list of academic, athletic and community service honors and awards. He graduated as an accounting major in three years with a 4.0 GPA in the University Honors Program. He will play his fourth season at the Alabama Crimson Tide as a graduate student in accounting.

He is involved in Campus Crusade for Christ and the Fellowship of Christian Athletes. In 2011, his football prowess was recognized with the Outland Trophy as the most outstanding interior lineman, the Wuerffel Trophy for exemplary community service as well as athletic and academic achievement, and 2011 SEC Scholarship Athlete of the Year.

Between classes, study, football practice and games, spring break is the only free time Jones has during the year.

“[People always] say, ‘Man, that’s awesome that you’re giving up your spring break to go on mission trips,’ and I say to them, ‘I’m not giving up anything.’

“This is the most fun I could ever have … to go on a trip like this and experience this with likeminded Christians and spread the Gospel … that’s what I love to do, and I’m not just saying that.

“I’ve been to the beach a million times,” Jones said, “and I don’t really remember one specific beach trip. But I remember every second and every day of every mission trip I’ve ever been on.”
–30–
Laura Fielding is a writer for the International Mission Board.

See larger Alabama center Barrett Jones speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days in Hoover, Ala. on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

Photo by Butch Dill

Alabama center Barrett Jones speaks to the media at the Southeastern Conference NCAA college football media days in Hoover, Ala. on Thursday, July 19, 2012. (AP Photo/Butch Dill)

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By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

Open letter to President Obama (Part 111)

July 11, 2012 – 12:59 pm

President Obama c/o The White House
1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW
Washington, DC 20500

Dear Mr. President,

I know that you receive 20,000 letters a day and that you actually read 10 of them every day. I really do respect you for trying to get a pulse on what is going on out here.

If our country is the grow the economy and get our budget balanced it will not be by raising taxes!!! The recipe for success was followed by Ronald Reagan in the 1980’s when he cut taxes and limited spending. As far as limiting spending goes only Bill Clinton (with his Republican Congress) were ability to control the growth of government better than Reagan.

I had the pleasure of hearing Arthur Laffer speak in 1981 and he predicted all the economic growth that we would see because of the Reagan tax cuts and he was right. Unfortunately in California today they have forgotten all of those lessons!!!

President Obama’s fiscal policy is a dismal mixture. On spending, he wants a European-style welfare state. On taxes, he is fixated on class-warfare tax policy.

If we want to know the consequences of that approach, we can look at the ongoing collapse of Greece. Or, if we don’t like overseas examples, we can look at California.

If the (formerly) Golden State is any example, it turns out that having high tax rates doesn’t necessarily translate into high tax revenues. Here’s a blurb from an editorial in today’s Wall Street Journal.

California Controller John Chiang reported last week that April tax collections were a gigantic 20.2%, or $2.44 billion, below 2012-13 budget projections. …Among the biggest surprises is a 21.5% or nearly $2 billion decline in personal income tax payments from what Governor Jerry Brown had anticipated. This reinforces the point that when states rely too heavily on the top 1% of taxpayers to pay the bills, fiscal policy is a roller coaster ride. California is suffering this tax drought even as most other states enjoy a revenue rebound. State tax collections were up nationally by 8.9% last year, according to the Census Bureau, and this year revenues are up by double digits in many states. The state comptroller reports that Texas is enjoying 10.9% growth in its sales taxes (it has no income tax), while California can’t seem to keep up despite one of the highest tax rates in the land.

The WSJ editorial suggests a supply-side response, but you won’t be surprised to learn that the state’s kleptomaniac governor is pushing an Obama-style soak-the-rich tax hike.

This would seem to suggest that California should try cutting tax rates to keep more people and business in the state, but Sacramento is intent on raising them again. Governor Brown and the public-employee unions are sponsoring a ballot initiative in November to raise the state sales tax by a quarter point to 7.5% and to raise the top marginal income-tax rate to 13.3% from 10.3%. This will make the state even more reliant on the fickle revenue streams provided by the rich. Meanwhile, an analysis by Joseph Vranich, who studies migration of businesses from one state to another, finds that since 2009 the flight of businesses out of California “has increased fivefold due to high taxes and regulatory costs.”

I’ll be very curious to see what happens this November when the people of California vote in the referendum. Will they be like the morons in Oregon, who approved a class-warfare tax hike? Or will they be like the voters of Switzerland and reject class warfare?

Sadly, I suspect Oregon will be their role model – even though that decision hurt the Beaver State’s economy.

But while voters can impose higher taxes, they can’t repeal the laws of economics. So if California voters do the wrong thing, they will learn a hard lesson about the Laffer Curve.

And then, as this cartoon demonstrates, they’ll learn the ultimate lesson about not biting the hand that you mooch from.

___________

Thank you so much for your time. I know how valuable it is. I also appreciate the fine family that you have and your commitment as a father and a husband.

Sincerely,

Everette Hatcher III, 13900 Cottontail Lane, Alexander, AR 72002, ph 501-920-5733, lowcostsqueegees@yahoo.com

The Laffer Curve, Part III: Dynamic Scoring

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in President Obama, spending out of control, Taxes | Comments (0)

The best quarterbacks in the SEC in 2012? (Part 3)

July 11, 2012 – 11:42 am

I think Tyler Wilson is the best quarterback in the SEC, but below is what others think.

Football Nation states:

published Friday, May 4th, 2012

SEC should be stronger at quarterback

 
 
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Becoming a starting quarterback in the Southeastern Conference last season was accompanied by great peril.

Clint Moseley replaced Barrett Trotter as Auburn’s top quarterback during the seventh game, leading the Tigers to a 17-6 win over Florida, and made his first college start the following week at LSU. Moseley never had a chance in Baton Rouge, getting sacked six times and having an interception returned for a touchdown in a 45-10 humbling.

“I don’t want to say it wasn’t that bad,” Moseley said after the game. “It was awful.”

It was awful for a slew of SEC quarterbacks last season, with a record nine league teams feeling the need to make performance-based changes. Even league champ LSU, which made a switch by dumping Jarrett Lee for Jordan Jefferson after its overtime win at Alabama in early November, experienced volatility under center.

Only Alabama’s AJ McCarron, Tyler Wilson of Arkansas and Georgia’s Aaron Murray started wire-to-wire, but the league should be more stable at the position in 2012 with all but LSU and Texas A&M returning quarterbacks who made multiple starts in 2011.

“I think there are a lot of good quarterback prospects in our league,” Alabama coach Nick Saban said. “AJ played better and better as the year went on, and hopefully he’ll be one of those guys in our league this year. Georgia has a very productive, experienced quarterback. Tennessee has a productive, talented quarterback. Arkansas has a very productive, talented quarterback, and some other people have some guys who can be good as well and have played some and will continue to develop.

“The league will be better because of that offensively.”

Stellar quarterback play was expected to be somewhat infrequent last year following the departures of Auburn’s Cam Newton, Alabama’s Greg McElroy and Arkansas’ Ryan Mallett. Those were three of the top seven quarterbacks nationally in passing efficiency in 2010, with Newton winning the Heisman Trophy and leading the Tigers to a 14-0 record and the national championship.

Yet the struggles last year were profound, as youth and inexperience often were no match in a league that produced four of the nation’s top five defenses: Alabama, LSU, South Carolina and Georgia.

“There were not a lot of proven guys, and when you play a lot of proven teams, it’s hard for anybody on offense to look better,” Georgia coach Mark Richt said. “The quarterback is the one guy getting harassed by these defensive linemen and edge rushers, and he’s the guy trying to throw it into a tight window against cornerbacks playing receivers a little tighter.

“You try to find someone to pick on, but it’s hard to find someone to pick on in our league. So the quarterback just has to be more precise in what he does. Sometimes you have to manage bad situations, but that is part of the learning process.”

The SEC did not have a quarterback rank among the top 20 in efficiency, though Wilson (22nd), South Carolina’s Connor Shaw (23rd), McCarron (25th) and Murray (26th) came close. Shaw replaced the troubled Stephen Garcia and finished with a flurry, throwing eight touchdown passes and one interception in the last three games to cap South Carolina’s first 11-win season.

Seeking to join the ranks of upper-echelon SEC quarterbacks are Tennessee’s Tyler Bray and Vanderbilt’s Jordan Rodgers. Bray missed five games last season due to a broken thumb, getting replaced by Matt Simms and then Justin Worley, but heads into this season with the league’s top crop of receivers.

Rodgers, the brother of Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, replaced Larry Smith and led the Commodores to the Liberty Bowl. He was a disaster in Memphis, however, completing 4 of 14 passes for 26 yards and an interception before being pulled.

“I think it is a real positive when you have some opportunities like that for growth,” Vandy coach James Franklin said. “He spent a lot of time thinking about it and watching film, and the two of us have had some really good discussions. I think we’re going to be much more on the same page this year, as well as my coordinator and quarterbacks coach.”

The most scrutinized league quarterback this season will be Zach Mettenberger, who joins a loaded LSU lineup looking to atone for a 21-0 loss to Alabama in the BCS championship game.

Auburn’s Moseley threw more interceptions returned for touchdowns against Georgia and Alabama, and he nursed a shoulder injury this spring while battling Kiehl Frazier in a race that will head into preseason camp. Jacoby Brissett and Jeff Driskel took turns starting and struggling at Florida last season when John Brantley was hurt, and that pair came out of spring neck-and-neck as well.

No league team had a more wide-open competition this spring than newcomer Texas A&M, which had four quarterbacks in the hunt to replace NFL top-10 pick Ryan Tannehill.

“I think whenever you have a returning quarterback and a guy who has some experience, it’s huge,” Franklin said. “I’ve been in this game for a long time, and I don’t care if you’re in Pop Warner, little league, high school, college or the NFL, if you have a guy at that position, you have a chance. He has the ability to make everybody on your team better, especially on the offensive side of the ball.

“The league in general will always be great on defense, and when we have returning quarterbacks, I think it makes for an even more exciting year in the SEC.”

Contact David Paschall at dpaschall@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6524.

Arkansas Democrat-Gazette photo

Arkansas senior quarterback Tyler Wilson was a first-team All-SEC selection last season, but no league quarterback ranked among the top 20 nationally in passing efficiency.

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)

The Founders believed national leaders should believe in a God that will punish evil

July 11, 2012 – 10:51 am

Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)
Crimes and Misdemeanors (1989)

Roger Ebert called this flick one of Allen’s best. The director, pictured with cinematographer Sven Nykvist on set, was nominated for three Academy Awards, including best director and writing. “Who else but Woody Allen could make a movie in which virtue is punished, evildoing is rewarded and there is a lot of laughter – even subversive laughter at the most shocking times?” wrote the famous reviewer.

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The founding fathers believed that it benefitted the government for it’s leaders to believe in God and with that would come the view that evil will be punished and good will be rewarded in the afterlife. John Quincy Adams said: There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience,

This point of view is not held by many today. I noticed in Woody Allen’s film “Crimes and Misdemeanors” you can see how Allen’s agnostic worldview permits him to allow the lead character to have his mistress killed when she threatens to call the cops. Judah noted, “God is a luxery I can not afford.” Earlier in the film Judah is terrified when he thinks there is a living God that will punish him in an afterlife, but only after he convinces himself there is no God is he at peace with his decision to have this troublesome lady killed. Check out this movie on Netflix and you will see what I mean about this potential moral problem that atheists can not answer. (I have looked this question many times in my previous posts.)

David Barton is a Christian historian and he has quoted many of the founders concerning their views of the afterlife and how their views impact what is done while leading the nation:

James Iredell, a ratifier of the Constitution and a U. S. Supreme Court justice appointed by George Washington, also confirmed:

According to the modern definition [1788] of an oath, it is considered a “solemn appeal to the Supreme Being for the truth of what is said by a person who believes in the existence of a Supreme Being and in a future state of rewards and punishments according to that form which would bind his conscience most.” 9

David Barton noted in his article, “Importance of Morality and Religion in Government,”:
01/2000

John Quincy Adams

Sixth President of the United States

There are three points of doctrine the belief of which forms the foundation of all morality. The first is the existence of God; the second is the immortality of the human soul; and the third is a future state of rewards and punishments. Suppose it possible for a man to disbelieve either of these three articles of faith and that man will have no conscience, he will have no other law than that of the tiger or the shark. The laws of man may bind him in chains or may put him to death, but they never can make him wise, virtuous, or happy.

John Q. Adams.jpg

(Source: John Quincy Adams, Letters of John Quincy Adams to His Son on the Bible and Its Teachings (Auburn: James M. Alden, 1850), pp. 22-23.)

Charles Carroll of Carrollton

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

Without morals a republic cannot subsist any length of time; they therefore who are decrying the Christian religion, whose morality is so sublime & pure, [and] which denounces against the wicked eternal misery, and [which] insured to the good eternal happiness, are undermining the solid foundation of morals, the best security for the duration of free governments.

(Source: Bernard C. Steiner, The Life and Correspondence of James McHenry (Cleveland: The Burrows Brothers, 1907), p. 475. In a letter from Charles Carroll to James McHenry of November 4, 1800.)

James McHenry

Signer of the Constitution

[P]ublic utility pleads most forcibly for the general distribution of the Holy Scriptures. The doctrine they preach, the obligations they impose, the punishment they threaten, the rewards they promise, the stamp and image of divinity they bear, which produces a conviction of their truths, can alone secure to society, order and peace, and to our courts of justice and constitutions of government, purity, stability and usefulness. In vain, without the Bible, we increase penal laws and draw entrenchments around our institutions. Bibles are strong entrenchments. Where they abound, men cannot pursue wicked courses, and at the same time enjoy quiet conscience.

(Source: Bernard C. Steiner, One Hundred and Ten Years of Bible Society Work in Maryland, 1810-1920 (Maryland Bible Society, 1921), p. 14.)

Benjamin Rush

Signer of the Declaration of Independence

Remember that national crimes require national punishments, and without declaring what punishment awaits this evil, you may venture to assure them that it cannot pass with impunity, unless God shall cease to be just or merciful.

(Source: Benjamin Rush, An Address to the Inhabitants of the British Settlements in America Upon Slave-Keeping (Boston: John Boyles, 1773), p. 30.)

Joseph Story

Supreme Court Justice

Indeed, the right of a society or government to [participate] in matters of religion will hardly be contested by any persons who believe that piety, religion, and morality are intimately connected with the well being of the state and indispensable to the administrations of civil justice. The promulgation of the great doctrines of religion—the being, and attributes, and providence of one Almighty God; the responsibility to Him for all our actions, founded upon moral accountability; a future state of rewards and punishments; the cultivation of all the personal, social, and benevolent virtues—these never can be a matter of indifference in any well-ordered community. It is, indeed, difficult to conceive how any civilized society can well exist without them.

(Source: Joseph Story, A Familiar Exposition of the Constitution of the United States (New York: Harper & Brothers, 1847), p. 260, §442.)
By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in David Barton, Founding Fathers | Comments (3)

Follow www.theDailyHatch.org on twitter (@everettehatcher)

July 11, 2012 – 10:01 am

If you follow us on twitter then you won’t get overloaded. I tweet about 5 times a week and include links to my blog of the day.

Tweets

The Founding Fathers believed that our leaders should believe in the afterlife and future rewards and punishments. https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/07/11/the …

 

Tom Cruise gets another divorce today. Scientology’s moral code is based on self-preservation. End justifies the means. https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/29/tom …

 

The feds now spend 30K per student in Wash DC Schools why not give parents 10 K vouchers? Now taking over healthcare https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/29/oba …

 

I posted my letters to the President and his 12 responses Several dealt with Obamacare. Obama’s kingdom has its limits https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/28/rec …

 

YOUNG PEOPLE:Christian dating advice from Landry Jones and it is quite good BTW he was named after Tom Landry my hero https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/26/lan …

 

Milton Friedman in his film Free to Choose asked, “How can we have personal freedom without economic freedom?” Enjoy! https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/28/the …

 

Chris Martin left his childhood Christianity because of belief in hell but his bestselling song teaches hell exists https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/27/chr …

 

Chris Martin of Coldplay is still searching for purpose and meaning in life and you can see it in his songwriting. https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/26/chr …

 

Chris Martin of Coldplay came from Christian home & can’t shake his biblical views that he says he doesn’t believe in https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/25/chr …

 

Sad truth that Arkansas is tied for 15th with Delaware for highest income tax rates in USA. People earning 33M pay it https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/24/bra …

 

President Obama answers my letter about abortion being paid for by Obamacare on 6-15-12 with form letter email https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/22/fee …

 

Ark Times Bloggers tell me Obamacare doesn’t force catholic institutions to provide free abortions. Are they right? https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/21/res …

 

 

95 yr Louis Zamperini a great American war hero did a great job with Leno last nite. Christ helped him overcome PTSD. https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/08/lou …

 

I wish Bob Welch had been exposed to the Christian alternative to suicide. I wrote about him on my blog today. https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/08/bob …

 

Rep Charlie Collins’ article today in Ark Dem Gaz was outstanding. I shared some of his thoughts on my blog today. https://thedailyhatch.org/2012/06/07/cha …

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Uncategorized | Comments (0)

“Woody Wednesday” The heart wants what it wants”

July 11, 2012 – 9:42 am

I read this on www.crosswalk.com which is one of my favorite websites.

Life Lessons from Woody Allen

I confess I am a huge film buff. But I’ve never really been a Woody Allen fan, even though most film critics consider him to be one of the most gifted and influential filmmakers of our time. Of course, some of my film savvy friends who are aficionados of Allen’s work have been recommending some of his more interesting films. Although often very dark, many of him movies have some interesting worldview themes.

Woody Allen’s personal life has certainly been checkered with controversy. Last week Chuck Colson discussed Allen’s life and work and recent interview in the Washington Post:

“The heart wants what it wants.”

You may remember those words. They’re the excuse Woody Allen offered in 1992 for leaving his longtime lover to run off with her daughter. Even many of Allen’s fans were repulsed by the affair and by Allen’s cavalier attitude…

So Allen’s heart got what it wanted. According to the unwritten laws of our culture–and according to the philosophy he expressed in that infamous sentence–he ought to be happy.

Only he’s not, according to a new interview in the Washington Post. Interviewer David Segal quips that Allen’s worldview “is so bereft of meaning, so godless and absurd, that the only proper response is to curl up on a sofa and howl for your mommy.”

Not the kind of talk you would expect from one of the most successful men in film. By any secular standard Allen should be on top of the world. Apparently this is not the case. According to Colson:

As Allen confesses, movies were only a “means” for him to live the kind of lifestyle he wanted, but now that he has it, he has to keep making movies to distract himself from it. Like the writer of Ecclesiastes, who “withheld not [his] heart from any joy,” Woody Allen apparently has concluded that “all is vanity…”

Read the entire commentary on BreakPoint:  When the Heart Gets What it Wants

Read the Washington Post interview with Woody Allen: Cloud in the Silver Lining

Related posts:

“Woody Wednesday” Will Allen and Martin follow same path as Kansas to Christ?

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Francis Schaeffer and C. Everett Koop were prophetic (jh29)

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“Woody Wednesday” Allen realizes if God doesn’t exist then all is meaningless (jh 15)

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A review of Woody Allen’s latest movie “Midnight in Paris” (Woody Wednesday Part 4)

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Woody Allen films and the issue of guilt (Woody Wednesday Part 3)

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“Woody Wednesday” Part 1 starts today, Complete listing of all posts on the historical people mentioned in “Midnight in Paris”

I have gone to see Woody Allen’s latest movie “Midnight in Paris” three times and taken lots of notes during the films. I have attempted since June 12th when I first started posting to give a historical rundown on every person mentioned in the film. Below are the results of my study. I welcome any […]

By Everette Hatcher III | Posted in Current Events | Comments (0)