Below is a summary of “A Christian Manifesto” which is a very important book written by Francis Schaeffer just a couple of years before his death in 1984.
A Christian Manifesto by Dr. Francis A. Schaeffer
This address was delivered by the late Dr. Schaeffer in 1982 at the Coral Ridge Presbyterian Church, Fort Lauderdale, Florida. It is based on one of his books, which bears the same title.
_____________________
May we pray together?
Our heavenly Father, we come together, and we have no illusions that these things are serious, but have no illusions, either, that they were serious to the early Church when they watched their loved ones dragged off and thrown to their death when all they had to do was say that they worshipped Caesar.
We have no illusions that it was easy for Peter to stand and say that he would obey God rather than the Sanhedrin. We have no illusion that for our Reformation forefathers who won the liberties that we have, not only in the church but in state, that it was easy for them in those hard and difficult days.
And, our heavenly Father, we would ask tonight that you will forgive the Christians of the United States. May we be repentant for the silence of the last forty years, when we have denied what we say we believe by our silence.
We ask Thee, that you will stir the Church of the Lord Jesus, across this country, across northern Europe, across other places. Give us that which, our heavenly Father, Wesley really understood, and Finney, the evangelist that most people know in this country and Whitefield and many of the others. A call for the individual to accept Christ as Savior and come under the shed blood of Christ and pass from death to life. A call for those of us who are Christians, oh God, to bow our hearts more completely and not let other things get in the way — to let the Holy Spirit have His place under the teaching of Scripture and within the circle of the teaching of Scripture, and then, Heavenly Father, to realize that everything belongs to the Lord Jesus. That He died not only to take our souls to heaven — but that our bodies will be raised one day from the dead.
The one day, as Peter said, just right after His ascension, “He’s going to heaven until He comes back to restore all things.” That His death there on Calvary’s cross is for us individually, but it’s not egotistically individualistic. Our individual salvation will one day be a portion of the restoration of all things. It is our calling until He comes back again that happy day, to do all we can — while it won’t be perfect as when He comes back — to see substantial healing in every area that He will then perfectly heal, and that Wesley did understand. Finney understood. Men like Blanchard, who founded Wheaton College, understood that if there is a true preaching of the Gospel, it carries with it then an action out into the social life around us into the world. That the Church is to preach the Gospel, but it is also to live the Good News — that there are answers to these horrendous questions, and that we might see a turning back from the absolute tragedy and tyranny which we face in our Western culture and in this country tonight. Help us! Forgive us! Use us!
And Father, as we just think of the number of people sitting here from so many backgrounds and different churches and different levels of life: If only these things were carried out into something in the power of the Holy Spirit… into the totality of life, as salt and light… that we might make a change and save this country from utter tragedy. Help Thou us, so we ask, and we ask it in no lesser name than the Lord Jesus Christ, our Lamb and our God.
Arnold Schwarzenegger opens this clip of Milton Friedman’s film series “Free to Choose” with a statement that contrast the socialist country he came from to the freer society in the USA where he came to live in 1968. I am going to post several video clips from this film series that will demonstrate that our country allowed free enterprise to flourish without excessive government controls.
Jason Tolbert, Max Brantley and John Brummett all wrote interesting articles on the issue of American Exceptionalism during the fall after Tim Griffin and Joyce Elliott discussed the subject during the campaign.
I don’t think we are exceptional because of our people, land or resources. It must be because of two principles that have existed in this country for many years.
First, our country was founded on a reformation base. Francis Schaeffer pointed out in his film series, “How should we then live?” episode 5 on the Revolutionary Age: “As the reformation emphasis, that the Bible is the only final authority, took root the ordinary citizen was increasingly freed from arbitrary governmental power.”
Sadly our country has allowed humanism to take away many of the freedoms that our founding fathers meant for our country to have including prayer in schools. Did you know that 29 of the 56 signers of the Declaration of Independence had seminary degrees? Futhermore, over 90% of the 250 original founding fathers claimed to be Christians according to their own writings.
Second, our country allowed free enterprise to flourish without excessive government controls. That was because the founding fathers saw the government as a necessary evil and not a positive force to be interfering with our lives.
This article today is the beginning of a series that I will be starting on the true secret behind the American Exceptionalism in our past. There is no denying that it existed in the past. Take a look at page 976 of the book A History of the American People by Paul Johnson (1997):
It is appropriate to end this history of the American people on a note of success, because the story of American is essentially one of difficulties being overcome by intelligence and skill, by faith and strength of purpose, by courage and persistence. America today, with its 260 million people, its splendid cities, its vast wealth, and its unrivaled power, is a human achievement without parallel. That achievement–the transformation of a mostly uninhabited wilderness into the supreme national artifact of history–did not come about without heroic sacrifice and great sufferings stoically endured, many costly failures, huge disappointments, defeats, and tragedies. There have indeed been many setbacks in 400 years of American history. As we have seen, many unresolved problems, some of daunting size, remain. But the Americans are, above all, a problem-solving people. They do not believe that anything in this world is beyond human capacity to soar to and dominate. They will not give up. Full of essential goodwill to each other and to all, confident in their human decency and their democratic skills, they will attack again and again the ills in their society, until they are overcome or at least substantially redressed. So the ship of state sails on, and mankind still continues to watch its progress, with wonder and amazement and sometimes apprehension, as it moves into the unknown waters of the 21st century and the third millennium. The great American republican experiment is still the cynosure of the world’s eyes. It is still the first, best hope for the human race. Looking back on its past, and forward to its future, the auguries are that it will not disappoint an expectant humanity.
_____________________________________
_____________________________________
Francis Schaeffer does a great job in three 9 minute clips of showing how the USA was founded on a reformation base. Here is the first clip:
The Sixty Six who resisted “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal (Part 26)
This post today is a part of a series I am doing on the 66 Republican Tea Party favorites that resisted eating the “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal. Actually that name did not originate from a representative who agrees with the Tea Party, but from a liberal.
Rep. Emanuel Clever (D-Mo.) called the newly agreed-upon bipartisan compromise deal to raise the debt limit “a sugar-coated satan sandwich.”
“This deal is a sugar-coated satan sandwich. If you lift the bun, you will not like what you see,” Clever tweeted on August 1, 2011.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Representative Dan Burton (R-IN-05) issued the following statement after the House of Representatives’ approved the deficit reduction deal negotiated with President Obama and Senate Democrats:
“Our nation has never defaulted in its history and we must take action to continue to meet our financial obligations. However, in good conscience I could not support the deficit reduction package worked out this past weekend. I have said repeatedly that Washington does not have a revenue problem, it has a spending problem and this bill does nothing to change the spending culture ingrained in Washington.
“First, A Balanced Budget Amendment is the ONLY way to finally force Washington to live within its means. However, unlike the Cut, Cap and Balance Act or the Boehner proposal passed by the House of Representatives, the deficit reduction deal does not require a Balanced Budget Amendment be sent to the States for ratification before the President is granted a debt ceiling increase; it merely requires a vote on a Balanced Budget Amendment. Passing a Balanced Budget Amendment requires a 2/3rds vote in the House and Senate and a majority of Democrats have already expressed opposition to a Balanced Budget Amendment, so obtaining the necessary votes without significant leverage – such as the threat of default – is highly unlikely;
“Second, the deficit reduction deal does not prevent future tax increases or reduce the size of government. In fact, the deficit reduction deal assumes that all the Bush tax cuts expire in December 2012. In other words the additional revenue is already built into the bill which would make it difficult if not impossible to meet the deficit reduction targets AND extend the Bush tax cuts beyond 2012. In addition, the suggestion that it is impossible for the Joint Committee to raise additional tax revenue simply is not accurate, it’s false;
“Third, the automatic spending cuts placed in the deal to force Congress to maintain fiscal discipline are unrealistic and unworkable. Half of the proposed automatic cuts would come from defense programs which will undermine our ability to project power, strengthen our adversaries, and weaken our alliances. Additional automatic cuts will come from Medicare providers; already underpaid by Medicare. Historically Congress has rolled back any proposed cuts to Medicare providers and there is no reason to believe Congress won’t do so again. It is also unrealistic to believe Congress will allow substantial cuts to defense spending while our troops are engaged in three wars (Iraq, Afghanistan, and Libya);
“Finally, the deficit reduction deal may be unconstitutional. The deficit reduction deal allows the President to unilaterally raise the debt ceiling subject to a resolution of disapproval by the Congress (which the President can veto). The debt limit is a statutory requirement and must therefore be changed by law. ONLY Congress has the power to make law not the President; and Congress cannot, and most importantly should not, surrender this power to the president.
“The American people want a solution to this crisis, not a deal that allows Washington to kick the can down the road once again. Regrettably, the deficit reduction deal is not that solution.”
Michael Tanner is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and coauthor of Leviathan on the Right: How Big-Government Conservatism Brought Down the Republican Revolution.
You can tell that we are getting close to the deadline for a deal on raising the debt ceiling, because President Obama has finally noticed the issue. Not a “put forward an actual plan” notice, but at least a “denounce the Republicans as immoral” notice. Republicans rightly criticize this lack of presidential leadership. But what about Republicans who want to be president? Republicans in Congress, of course, have been willing to put specific ideas on the table, and, since the responsibility for voting on the debt limit will actually fall on them, that’s key. But Republicans should also want to know where the would-be 2012 presidential candidates stand on this vital issue.
At one end of the Republican spectrum are those who would answer the question with “Yes, but …” These candidates agree that the debt ceiling will eventually have to be raised. But in return they demand Democratic concessions on spending or other policy matters.
Generally, these candidates are seeking some sort of restraint on future spending. Jon Huntsman, for example, wants to cap spending at 18 to 19 percent of GDP. Similarly Newt Gingrich would raise the debt limit only in exchange for — unspecified — spending cuts. Gingrich has suggested that in the absence of a grand compromise, Congress could pass a series of three-week increases, sort of like the series of continuing resolutions that substitute for a budget. Other Republicans would tie their agreement to raise the debt ceiling to other policy matters. For example, Rick Santorum would demand the repeal of Obamacare. And sometimes potential candidate Sarah Palin has suggested that drilling in Alaska could be attached to any debt-ceiling vote.
[R]epublicans should also want to know where the would-be 2012 presidential candidates stand on this vital issue.
At the other end of the line are those who respond, “Hell, no.” For the most part though, this appears to be a tactical position — more a matter of tone rather than policy from those above. When really pressed, most of these candidates leave room to eventually vote for an increase if the concessions are big enough.
For example, Michele Bachmann is firmly in the “Hell, no” camp, saying that she will vote against any increase in the debt ceiling. What if the Republican leadership cuts a deal? She would “have to tell you then. But right now I’m a no vote.” Tim Pawlenty also opposes any increase, writing in the Washington Post, “Don’t raise the debt limit — reform entitlement spending.” That does leave a problem, however. While he is entirely correct about the need for entitlement reform, any changes to those programs will involve long-term, not short-term savings, meaning they won’t solve the immediate debt-ceiling problem.
Unsurprisingly, the two libertarians in the race, Ron Paul and Gary Johnson, oppose raising the debt ceiling regardless of any Democratic concessions. Paul, who has always voted against debt increases, will do so again this time. Similarly, Johnson cannot foresee circumstances under which he would support an increase.
In between these two camps are those whose position is, well, a bit fuzzy. Mitt Romney, for example, has “repeatedly refused to answer multiple questions from reporters about whether the nation’s debt ceiling should be raised,” according to news reports. Romney has, however, praised Republicans for insisting on spending cuts as a precondition for a debt-ceiling increase. At the same time, he has not said what conditions he would demand or whether he would support raising the debt ceiling if those conditions were (or were not) met. And, Herman Cain started out as a firm “Hell, no,” but has since backed away, saying that he agreed with Federal Reserve chairman Ben Bernanke that failing to raise the debt limit would mean financial chaos.
Of course, with the exception of Bachmann and Paul, none of these candidates will actually have to vote on the issue. Nonetheless, with so much on the line, its time for those who want to be president to step up and be heard.
You can get a good comparison of the candidates from this clip above. Below is a very good summary of the candidates from early this summer. The 2012 Contenders and the Debt Ceiling by Michael D. Tanner Michael Tanner is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute and coauthor of Leviathan on the Right: How […]
I have been against Romney because of the reasons found in this article below which I read 3 years ago: Lessons from the Fall of RomneyCare By Michael Tanner Michael Tanner is director of health and welfare studies at the Cato Institute. He is the author of Leviathan on the Right: How Big-Government Conservatism Brought […]
I do like Michele Bachmann a lot and I love what she has to say in the article below too. Slate.com vs. Tea-Party/Christians/Bachmann Posted by Andrew J. Coulson Slate worked itself into a lather yesterday over the insidious education policy implications of Michele Bachmann’s Iowa Straw Poll victory: As recently as a decade ago, Republicans […]
I really like Rick Perry because he was right when he called Social Security a “Ponzi Scheme” which it is. How did he do in the last debate? You be the judge by watching his response above. Rick Perry’s Moment Posted by Roger Pilon Last night POLITICO Arena asked: Who won the Reagan debate? My […]
I am not too pleased with Mitt Romney and the article below shows one good reason to oppose him. Can Mitt Romney Escape His Romneycare Albatross? by Doug Bandow Doug Bandow is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute. A former special assistant to Ronald Reagan, he is the author of Foreign Follies: America’s New […]
Dodd and Frank are the real villians of the mortgage mess and I knew that 3 years ago after reading this article below. Who did the Democrats get to clean up this mess? You guessed it. What a joke. Who Are the Villains of the Mortgage Mess? by Daniel J. Mitchell Daniel J. Mitchell is […]
Reagan’s statement concerning 1982 tax increase is responded to by Republican Candidates in this clip below: Washington Could Learn a Lot from a Drug Addict Concerning spending cuts Reagan believed, that members of Congress “wouldn’t lie to him when he should have known better.” However, can you believe a drug addict when he tells you […]
I really like Ron Paul a lot and the reasons I like him are in this article below and in the clip above. Ron Paul’s Success Posted by David Boaz The Washington Post reports that Ron Paul “is enjoying a surge in support and the most high-profile campaign of his life. ” Paul’s unwavering ideals […]
Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 plan did steal the show at the Republican debate of October 11, 2011. Take a look at this article below: The Republican presidential debate in Hanover, N.H. (AP) There was one clear winner from Tuesday’s Republican presidential debate, based on the simple metrics of name recognition: businessman Herman Cain’s “9-9-9 Plan.” Virtually […]
Mitt Romney is not a true conservative. Exhibit #1 Romney wants to start trade wars. Romney for Panderer-in-Chief? by Gene Healy Gene Healy is a vice president at the Cato Institute and the author of The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power. Added to cato.org on October 11, 2011 This article […]
Republican Presidential candidate Herman Cain spoke Thursday evening to a record northwest Arkansas crowd, which he brought to their feet with several standing ovations during his lively speech. Cain arrived in Arkansas leading in most national polls by several points over Mitt Romney.
“Thank you for making this the most successful Washington County Lincoln Day Dinner ever,” organizer Robin Lundstrum told the crowd. She noted some of their past speakers have included Bill O’Reilly, Mike Huckabee, Steve Forbes, Newt Gingrich, and Bobby Jindal. Tonight’s event was the largest with over 1,450 tickets sold.
An assorted mix of Republican officials were on hand, some supporting Cain, some others, and some undecideds. Arkansas Land Commissioner John Thurston sported a Herman Cain 2012 button and said that he is impressed with Cain, who is likely to get his vote.
Lieutenant Governor Mark Darr, who endorsed Romney, was also in attendance, but said that Cain brought a lot of business expertise to the race as a “fellow pizza man.” Darr owns a pizza restaurant in Northwest Arkansas. State Rep. Charlie Collins, R-Fayetteville, wore his Perry for President button to the event. He said he believed Perry was going to bounce back once people found out more about his record of creating jobs in Texas. Cain sat at a table between Sen. John Boozman and Secretary of State Mark Martin, both from northwest Arkansas. Neither has indicated who they support for President.
“I feel right at home here, not only on this trip, but every trip I have made to Arkansas,” said Cain. “You truly understand Southern hospitality.”
“The American dream has been hijacked, but we can take it back,” said Cain, who accused liberals of hijacking the American dream. He addressed the economic and military strengths that people attribute to the United States saying that we can restore America’s greatness again.
Cain said one of the things that makes America great is our ability to change when we have to make a change. Cain spoke about great leaders in the past – such as John F. Kennedy, Ronald Reagan, and Martin Luther King, Jr., who were bold to propose major changes. “The American people are itching for some major change in this country,” said Cain.”We have a severe deficiency of leadership crisis in the White House.”
Cain spent a lot of time talking about his foreign policy philosophy, which he called “The Cain Philosophy,” characterized as “peace through strength with clarity.” He said that we have to make clear who our friends are around the world and quit giving money to our enemies.
I do like Michele Bachmann a lot and I love what she has to say in the article below too. Slate.com vs. Tea-Party/Christians/Bachmann Posted by Andrew J. Coulson Slate worked itself into a lather yesterday over the insidious education policy implications of Michele Bachmann’s Iowa Straw Poll victory: As recently as a decade ago, Republicans […]
I really like to read Dan Mitchell’s opinions. Grading Perry’s Flat Tax: Some Missing Homework, but a Solid B+ Posted by Daniel J. Mitchell Governor Rick Perry of Texas has announced a plan, which he outlines in the Wall Street Journal, to replace the corrupt and inefficient internal revenue code with a flat tax. Let’s […]
Ron Paul on healthcare (Republican debate of 10-18-11 part 3) Ron Paul sets the liberals straight on the solution for our healthcare problem in this video clip above during one of the presidential debates. Despite Flaws, U.S. Health Care the Best by Michael D. Tanner Michael Tanner is a senior fellow at the Cato Institute, […]
Obama: Raise Taxes, Capital Gains – “For Purposes of Fairness” Everyone knows that if you eliminate the capital gains tax then those who are wealthy will put more money into creating jobs. However, Mitt Romney feels so guilty about being wealthy that he has proposed eliminating the capital gains for everyone except for those making […]
Herman Cain’s plan 9-9-9 gets attacked in the clips above. Is this plan the same as a Value Added Tax (VAT). Look Before You Leap on Cain’s 9-9-9 Tax Plan Posted by Daniel J. Mitchell I like the overall approach of Herman Cain’s 9-9-9 tax plan. As I recently wrote, it focuses on lower tax […]
Mitt Romney is not a true conservative. Exhibit #1 Romney wants to start trade wars. Romney for Panderer-in-Chief? by Gene Healy Gene Healy is a vice president at the Cato Institute and the author of The Cult of the Presidency: America’s Dangerous Devotion to Executive Power. Added to cato.org on October 11, 2011 This article […]
Republican debate Oct 18, 2011 (last part) with video clips and transcript Below are video clips and the transcript. pt 5 pt 6 pt 7 COOPER: We’re going to move on to an issue very important here in the state of Nevada and throughout the West. We have a question from the hall. QUESTION: Yeah, […]
I really like Ron Paul a lot and the reasons I like him are in this article below and in the clip above. Ron Paul’s Success Posted by David Boaz The Washington Post reports that Ron Paul “is enjoying a surge in support and the most high-profile campaign of his life. ” Paul’s unwavering ideals […]
pt 6 pt 7 I really do like Michele Bachmann and hope she does well in the presidential race. Oct 19, 2011 10:55am Wayne Newton Endorses Michele Bachmann, Calls Her ‘Beautiful’ Following Tuesday night’s GOP debate in Las Vegas, Rep. Michele Bachmann picked up an endorsement from perhaps the Strip’s biggest star – Mr. Las […]
Below are several segments of the October 18, 2011 Republican Presidential Debate and the transcript: pt 3 pt 4 pt 5 SANTORUM: Mitt, the governor of Massachusetts just is coming forward saying we have to pick up the job left undone by Romneycare, which is doing something about cutting health care costs. What you did […]
Our federal government is getting fat like “Chubby”
When I think of “Chubby” I get really sad. He had a problem with his glands and he became real fat. Later he had to have an operation and he went from 300 lbs to 110 lbs when he died at age 21.
Unfortunately our federal government is getting bloated and eventually distract measures may be necessary. I wish we could find a good middle ground, but it doesn’t look like we will until all the liberals are kicked out of government.
Norman Myers Chaney (November 1, 1914 – May 29, 1936) was an Americanchild actor, notable for appearing in the Our Gang comedies as “Chubby” from 1929 to 1931.
According to some sources, Chaney was born on November 1, 1914 in Baltimore, Maryland, while according to “The Little Rascals, The Life & Times of Our Gang” written by Leonard Maltin and Richard W. Bann, he was born in 1918. He became a member of Our Gang at the dawn of the sound era. He relied on an affable personality, a flair for funny dialogue, and a priceless frown of frustration that seemed to swallow up his whole moon face. In fall 1928, Our Gang producer Hal Roach and director Robert F. McGowan began to look for an overweight child actor to replace Joe Cobb in the popular film series. Cobb was twelve years old, and the series was about to transition to sound. Roach and McGowan held a nationwide contest to find a replacement for Cobb. Chaney won this contest in early 1929 and was offered a two year contract. “He adapted gracefully, and we all liked him, he was a nice fellow,” said McGowan of Chaney.[4] The roly-poly youngster’s stay with the series was destined to be brief, but he still made a memorable impression on generations of fans. He was taught the expression of the “slow burn” by the comedian Edgar Kennedy.
At the time, Chaney was only 3′ 11″ and weighed about 113 pounds. He was nicknamed “Chubby” for the series and made his debut in the second sound entry, Railroadin’, appearing in two years’ worth of Our Gang films, including shorts such as Boxing Gloves and Teacher’s Pet. Norman Chaney and Joe Cobb appeared in three shorts together. Chubby’s meatiest moments are in Love Business, in which he competed with Jackie Cooper for the affections of their teacher, Miss Crabtree (bringing her flowers and candy, he coyly proposes, “Don’t call me Norman, call me ‘Chubsy-Ubsy'”).
By spring 1931, Chaney was getting taller and increasingly heavier. He finished out the 1930-31 season without being offered another contract. Both Chaney and his parents decided he would not pursue acting following his final Our Gang short, Fly My Kite (1931). Jackie Cooper, who had been in the series for about as long as Chaney, also departed Our Gang in early 1931, as did Mary Ann Jackson, a holdover from the silent era, and stalwart kid Allen Hoskins, a member of the original 1922 cast.
After leaving the series, Chaney returned to his native Baltimore and attended public school, where he excelled in his studies. He continued to gain weight and eventually topped 300 lb (140 kg), though he never grew beyond 4 ft 7 in (1.4 m). His weight continued to increase, and it was discovered that he had a glandular ailment. In 1935, Chaney underwent treatment for the ailment at Johns Hopkins Hospital; his weight then dropped from over 300 lb (140 kg) to less than 140 lb (64 kg).
Chaney became seriously ill afterward and died on May 29, 1936 at age 21. At the time of his death, Chaney weighed 110 lb (50 kg). He was the first of the regular Our Gang alumni to die and the only one not to live to see the end of the series in 1944.
Chaney is buried in an unmarked grave in Section ‘E’ of Baltimore Cemetery in Baltimore, Maryland. As recent as 2009, fans arose interest in collecting funds for a gravestone.
More Than Half of the President’s Budget Would Be Spent on Entitlement Programs Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute. In combination with other entitlements, such as food stamps, unemployment, and housing assistance,Medicare, Medicaid, and Social Security constitute […]
Entitlements Will Consume All Tax Revenues by 2049 Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute. If the average historical level of tax revenue is extended, spending on Medicare, Medicaid and the Obamacare subsidy program, and Social Security will consume […]
Liberals just don’t get it. They should listen to Milton Friedman (who is quoted in this video below concerning the best way to limit poverty). New Video Shows the War on Poverty Is a Failure Posted by Daniel J. Mitchell The Center for Freedom and Prosperity has released another “Economics 101″ video, and this one […]
Defense Spending Has Declined While Entitlement Spending Has Increased Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute. Spending on national defense, a core constitutional function of government, has declined significantly over time, despite wars in […]
Federal Spending Is Outpacing Inflation Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute. Prices of goods and services normally rise year to year, but federal spending has risen even faster. Although spending grew substantially after […]
Before the 2010 elections Clinton came back to Little Rock and said the Democrats would have a tough time winning because the voters had a memory problem. What is his spin on the Tea Party? Max Brantley of the Arkansas Times noted: A friend sent a link to Politico coverage of a panel discussion and unscripted remarks […]
It is truly said how far to the left our country has gone. Happy Fiscal New Year (with an Unhappy Obama Hangover) Posted by Daniel J. Mitchell Today, October 1, is the first day of the 2012 fiscal year. And if you’re wondering why America’s economy seems to have a hangover (this cartoon is a perfect illustration), it’s because […]
Republicans need to tackle runaway entitlement spending Uploaded by NatlTaxpayersUnion on Feb 15, 2011 Dan Mitchell, Senior Fellow at the Cato Institute, speaks at Moving Forward on Entitlements: Practical Steps to Reform, NTUF’s entitlement reform event at CPAC, on Feb. 11, 2011. __________________________ I am disappointed in some of the Republicans who do not want […]
Uploaded by catoinstitutevideo on Mar 5, 2010 What is the true cost of public education? According to a new study by the Cato Institute, some of the nation’s largest public school districts are underreporting the true cost of government-run education programs. http://www.cato.org/pub_display.php?pub_id=11432 Cato Education Analyst Adam B. Schaeffer explains that the nations five largest metro […]
Balancing the Budget Without Cutting Spending Would Cause Taxes to Skyrocket
Everyone wants to know more about the budget and here is some key information with a chart from the Heritage Foundation and a video from the Cato Institute.
America is running massive deficits, and a balanced budget requirement is often considered a way to rein in red ink. Without serious entitlement and other spending reforms, the level of taxes required to balance the federal budget would reach economically stagnating levels.
PERCENTAGE OF GDP
Download
Source: Heritage Foundation calculations based on Congressional Budget Office data (Alternative Fiscal Scenario).
The charts in this book are based primarily on data available as of March 2011 from the Office of Management and Budget (OMB) and the Congressional Budget Office (CBO). The charts using OMB data display the historical growth of the federal government to 2010 while the charts using CBO data display both historical and projected growth from as early as 1940 to 2084. Projections based on OMB data are taken from the White House Fiscal Year 2012 budget. The charts provide data on an annual basis except… Read More
Authors
Emily GoffResearch Assistant
Thomas A. Roe Institute for Economic Policy StudiesKathryn NixPolicy Analyst
Center for Health Policy StudiesJohn FlemingSenior Data Graphics Editor
There is a truth that many people know. You can die from drinking too much alcohol at one time. I remember like yesterday when AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott died while on tour in England in 1980.
According to Wikipedia: On 19 February 1980, Scott, 33 at the time, passed out after a night of heavy drinking in a London club called the Music Machine (currently known as the KOKO). He was left to sleep in a Renault 5 owned by an acquaintance named Alistair Kinnear, at 67 Overhill Road in East Dulwich, South London.[17] The following afternoon, Kinnear found Scott lifeless, and alerted the authorities. Scott was rushed to King’s College Hospital in Camberwell, where he was pronounced dead on arrival. Pulmonary aspiration of vomit was the cause of Scott’s death,[18] and the official cause was listed as “acute alcohol poisoning” and “death by misadventure”.[19][20] Scott was cremated and his ashes were interred by his family in Fremantle, Western Australia.[21]
LONDON — Amy Winehouse drank herself to death. That was the ruling of a coroner’s inquest into the death of the Grammy-winning soul singer, who died with empty vodka bottles in her room and lethal amounts of alcohol in her blood – more than five times the British drunk driving limit.
Coroner Suzanne Greenaway gave a verdict of “death by misadventure,” saying Wednesday the singer suffered accidental alcohol poisoning when she resumed drinking after weeks of abstinence.
“The unintended consequence of such potentially fatal levels (of alcohol) was her sudden and unexpected death,” Greenaway said.
The 27-year-old Winehouse had fought a very public battle with drug and alcohol abuse for years, and there had been much speculation that she died from a drug overdose. But a pathologist said the small amount of a drug prescribed to help her cope with the symptoms of alcohol withdrawal had nothing to do with her death.
Bon Scott in Grenoble, 10 December 1979.
Instead, a resumption of heavy drinking killed the singer, best-known for her tall beehive hairdos and Grammy-winning album “Back to Black.” A security guard found Winehouse dead in bed at her London home on July 23.
Winehouse gave up illicit drugs in 2008, but had swerved between heavy alcohol use and abstinence for a long time, Romete said. The singer had resumed drinking in the days before her death after staying away from alcohol for most of July, she said.
Romete said she warned Winehouse of the dangers of alcoholism. “The advice I had given to Amy over a long period of time was verbal and in written form about all the effects alcohol can have on the system, including respiratory depression and death, heart problems, fertility problems and liver problems,” she said.
Bon Scott memorial, Kirriemuir, Scotland
Winehouse joins a long list of celebrities who died after fighting alcohol problems, including jazz great Billie Holiday, AC/DC lead singer Bon Scott, film legend Richard Burton, writers Dylan Thomas and Jack Kerouac, and country music pioneer Hank Williams.
Pathologist Suhail Baithun said blood and urine samples indicated Winehouse had consumed a “very large quantity of alcohol” prior to her death. The level of alcohol in her blood was 416 milligrams per 100 milliliters, he said – a blood alcohol level of 0.4 percent. The British and U.S. legal drunk-driving limit is 0.08 percent.
Doctors say acute alcohol poisoning is usually the result of binge drinking – the human body can only process about one unit of alcohol, or about half a glass of wine, an hour. Having too much alcohol in the body can cause severe dehydration, hypothermia, seizures, breathing problems and a heart attack, among other difficulties.
There is no minimum dose for acute alcohol poisoning and the condition varies depending on a person’s age, sex, weight, how fast the alcohol is drunk and other factors such as drug use.
In recent years, the 5-foot-3-inch Winehouse had appeared extremely thin and fragile.
Dr. Joseph Feldman, chief of emergency services at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey said Winehouse likely developed a tolerance for large quantities of alcohol after drinking heavily for years. He also said the sedative Winehouse was on, Librium, wouldn’t have stopped someone from having seizures if they were in alcohol withdrawal.
“It’s easier to withdraw from heroin than it is from alcohol … Withdrawal (from alcohol) can cause anxiety, tremors, hallucinations, the sensation of things crawling all over you,” he said.
He said those symptoms sometimes push people back to alcohol.
“It’s possible she could have been saved if she had been found (or treated) earlier,” he said. “A lot of treatment is supportive care, like IV fluids and making sure they don’t inhale their own vomit.”
_________________________
Here is an article that tells what alcohol poisoning is:
E! Online reported that Winehouse’s blood alcohol limit was five times higher than the limit for drunk driving (she had 416 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood, while Britain’s legal limit is 80 milligrams of alcohol per 100 milliliters of blood). The singer died earlier this year, in July.
Winehouse’s family released a statement that was announced by their spokesman Chris goodman, CNN reported, saying that the family was relieved to finally know what happened to the 27-year-old Grammy-winning singer.
“The court heard that Amy was battling hard to conquer her problems with alcohol and it is a source of great pain that she could not win in time. She had started drinking again that week after a period of abstinence,” Goodman said.
Alcohol poisoning is relatively common, with 50,000 people in the United States diagnosed with alcohol poisoning each year. It’s caused by binge drinking during a short period of time — the body absorbs alcohol more rapidly than it’s able to clear the alcohol. According to the Mayo Clinic, it takes your body about an hour to completely process one drink (defined as 12 ounces of beer, 1.5 ounces of spirits or 5 ounces of wine).
With alcohol poisoning, alcohol enters the brain and causes a loss of consciousness, a drop in body temperature, low blood pressure, coma and even death, according to the CDC.
Symptoms of binge drinking include vomiting, slow and/or irregular breathing, confusion, pale skin and passing out, the Mayo Clinic reported. It’s imperative that a person with alcohol poisoning — whether all these symptoms manifest or not — to see a doctor as soon as possible. A doctor will conduct blood tests and even a urine test to see the blood alcohol level and determine if there has been alcohol poisoning.
Blood alcohol poisoning is treated with oxygen therapy, intravenous fluids, monitoring and use of the nutrients thiamin and glucose, according to the Mayo Clinic. It’s also important to make sure there is no breathing or choking problems (since the gag reflex is affected during alcohol poisoning).
Winehouse isn’t the first celebrity to die from alcohol poisoning. Bon Scott, the lead singer of AC/DC from 1974 to 1980, died from the condition at age 33, as did country singer Keith Whitley, also at the age of 33.
Aaron Douglas has first Alabama spring football practice Lane Kiffin praises RT Aaron Douglas In the last part of July, then I spent the next few days researching the “27 Club.” It was very sad to read about these famous musicians that all died at age 27 because of suicide or drugs. Just a few weeks ago I read about Aaron Douglas […]
cc ‘Janis Joplin’ 2/5 from True Hollywood Story (Janis was having affair with Pigpen) Jerry Garcia (guitar, vocals), Ron “Pigpen” McKernan (vocals, harmonica), Bob Weir (guitar, vocals), Phil Lesh (bass), Mickey Hart (drums), Bill Kreutzman (drums). Grateful Dead “Don’t Ease Me In” Live @ Canadian National Exhibition Hall Toronto, CA June 27th, 1970 Grateful Dead […]
Recently Amy Winehouse joined the “27 Club” when she died of a drug overdose. The “27 Club” is a group of rockers that died at age 27. Unfortunately Jimi Hendrix died at age 27 in 1970 and Janis Joplin did the same three weeks later. Today we are going to look at her life and […]
Amy Winehouse died at age 27 and unfornately joined the “27 club” which is made of famous rockers that died at age 27. Pete Ham was a member of Bad Finger which was one of my favorite groups that I followed. “Come and get it” was my favorite song of theirs. ___________________________________ Badfinger perform a […]
Brian’s Blues, Brian Jones on guitar in the early stones years. unreleased track Brian Jones died at age 27 just like Amy Winehouse did. I remember like yesterday when I first heard the song “I can’t get no satisfaction” by the Rolling Stones. I immediately thought about Solomon’s search for satisfaction in the Book of […]
Jim Morrison – Feast Of Friends – (The Doors Documentary) (1969) (Paul Ferrara) 1/4 I was saddened by the recent death of Amy Winehouse and her inclusion into the “27 Club.” This series I am starting today looks at the search that each one of these entertainers were on during their lives. Today I look […]
Papa Roach – Last Resort (Censored Version) Amy Winehouse died at the young age of 27 and she had lived a life filled with drug and alcohol addiction. This series on Papa Roach is meant to provide answers to those who feel trapped. Hopefully it will people to avoid troubles like Amy Winehouse experienced. Today I […]
I have really enjoyed going through all the characters mentioned in Woody Allen’s latest film “Midnight in Paris.” One think that shocked me was that many of these great writers mentioned in the film were also alcoholics. Why is that? It is my view that if a sensitive person really does examine life closely without […]
What The Flick?!: Midnight In Paris – Review by What The Flick?! 2011 Roger Arpajou / Sony Pictures Classics Alison Pill as Zelda Fitzgerald and Tom Hiddleston as F. Scott Fitzgerald in “Midnight in Paris.” 2011 Roger Arpajou / Sony Pictures Classics Owen Wilson as Gil in “Midnight in Paris.” 2011 Roger Arpajou / Sony […]
Our country’s debt continues to grow — it’s eating away at the American Dream. We need to make real cuts now. We need Cut, Cap, and Balance.
The Sixty Six who resisted “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal (Part 25)
This post today is a part of a series I am doing on the 66 Republican Tea Party favorites that resisted eating the “Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich” Debt Deal. Actually that name did not originate from a representative who agrees with the Tea Party, but from a liberal.
Rep. Emanuel Clever (D-Mo.) called the newly agreed-upon bipartisan compromise deal to raise the debt limit “a sugar-coated satan sandwich.”
“This deal is a sugar-coated satan sandwich. If you lift the bun, you will not like what you see,” Clever tweeted on August 1, 2011.
WASHINGTON– Today, Congressman Joe Walsh (IL-08) voted against the latest debt ceiling deal brokered by President Obama and Congressional leaders.
“Last night’s deal shows how far the debate has moved in just a few months,” said Congressman Walsh. “At the beginning of this debate President Obama demanded a blank check increase in the debt limit with no spending cuts attached. When that didn’t work, he insisted on huge tax increases on American families and job creators. The Republican Party, however, stood strong and refused to pay for reckless spending withmoretax increases.”
“While I give my Republican leadership all the credit in the world, I cannot support this latest deal: it spends too much and cuts too little. While this deal will cut $2.4 trillion from the national debt over the next 10 years, Washington will still add another $7 trillion to the national debt over that same period.”
“The fact that there are only $7 billion in cuts next year, an election year, shows how blatantly political this bill is. We need to be slashing reckless spending now and in the future, not just when it is politically convenient for the President.”
“Democrats still don’t get it and refuse to make the spending cuts necessary to avoid a credit downgrade. I have made it clear from day one that I will never vote for an increase in the debt ceiling unless it fundamentally and structurally changes the way Washington spends money. I believe that the way to do that is through statutory spending caps and a Balanced Budget Amendment to the Constitution.”
Taxing the Wealthy to Cover Future Deficits Won’t Work
Discretionary Spending Cuts Alone Are Not an Adequate Substitute for Entitlement Reform
