Constitution Party of Massachusetts

Chuck Baldwin
April 18, 2008

On February 28, 1993, agents of the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (BATF, now known as the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms, and Explosives or BATFE) began their assault on the home of the Branch Davidians outside Waco, Texas. An unarmed David Koresh was shot by the agents as he stepped onto his front porch. A shootout resulted with several deaths on both sides.

Shortly afterward, the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) took charge of the situation, and on April 19, 1993 agents from both departments (utilizing military hardware and both U.S. and foreign military advisers) assaulted the dwellings, which resulted in the deaths of 80 American citizens. Most of the victims were old men, women, and small children.

The events at Waco have contributed to the disdain of federal abuse of power like nothing since the Boston Massacre back in 1770. (By comparison, the British killed 5 Americans in that assault.) Moved by grassroots pressure, the Congress of the United States convened special hearings into the conduct of those federal agencies responsible for the Waco debacle. The result was less than satisfactory to many Americans.

The congressional hearings, along with eyewitness testimony and subsequent infrared video of the events at Waco led many to believe that federal agents were allowed to lie under oath with impunity. It is a fact that crucial evidence was conveniently “lost” by federal agents. Worse still was the release of videotapes of the events by investigative reporters showing the utter absurdity and duplicity of the government’s account of the tragedy.

At the end of the hearings, questions remained unanswered, and no one within the federal government was held accountable. Davidians who survived the raid were tried for murder. A jury found them innocent, but no charges were ever brought against any federal agents.

Whatever one thinks of David Koresh and the Branch Davidians, they had committed no capital crimes. Neither could the charges of child abuse, illegal weapons, or illegal drug activity (charges that were used by the feds to justify their raid) be substantiated.

Furthermore, it is unconscionable (not to mention a violation of U.S. law as prescribed in the Posse Comitatus Act–a law that President Bush recently had the audacity to expunge, by the way) that tanks and other military equipment would be used against mostly women and children within our own country. The bizarre tactics employed by the BATF and FBI at Waco are unfathomable and unforgivable! Our government has been more lenient and patient when dealing with many of America’s deadliest enemies than it was in dealing with those poor Davidians.

There must never be another Waco!

God-given, constitutional liberties apply to every American, even those who are considered strange or unconventional. Under no circumstances must we allow federal agencies (or any other agencies, for that matter) to circumvent the laws of our nation that protect individual life and liberty. And, unfortunately, with the advent of the Patriot Act, the federal government has far more power and authority–and individuals have far less freedom and protection–than in 1993. This portends an even more ominous future for liberty.

The demands of liberty and justice rest upon us all. Certainly, Congress plays a part. Their investigation into Waco was inept, to say the least. The media also plays an important role. They have the power to inform; they also have the power to sedate. Absent a love for truth and justice by a lackadaisical media and a cowardly Congress, the fires of Waco still burn in the heart of the American conscience.

Beyond that, under the Bush administration, we have watched the size and scope of the federal government burgeon to proportions never before seen. It seems clear that we have entered an era of unlimited and unbridled federal power and authority. Can we assume, therefore, that more Wacos are on the horizon?

It is incumbent upon each of us to seriously ponder our future. It is imperative that each of us be willing to study, once again, the great principles upon which this country was built. Such a study demands that we re-familiarize ourselves with the U.S. Constitution and Bill of Rights. We must re-read our Declaration of Independence. We must read the words of wisdom and warning delivered by our Founding Fathers. In short, we must be completely familiar with the principles of liberty, because those principles made us, and those principles will keep us. Without them, liberty’s future is about as permanent as the wooden buildings at Mt. Carmel. Without them, the fire of tyranny will reduce us to the cinders of obscurity as surely as did the fire outside Waco, Texas on April 19, 1993.

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
April 15, 2008

Every four years, conservative “pragmatists” trot out the “We Can’t Let So-And-So Win” mantra. Of course, the so-and-so in question is always the Democratic Presidential candidate. For all of my adult life, I have been listening to so-called “conservative” Republicans warn us of the impending doom that would befall our country if the Democratic candidate were elected. And this year is no different.

This year’s Republican primary did provide a wonderful aberration, however, to the usual choices between Tweedledee and Tweedledum. Republicans had an opportunity to nominate a real American constitutionalist, a statesman in the similitude of Thomas Jefferson or James Madison. That man was Texas Congressman, Ron Paul. Unfortunately, the Republican faithful seem to be incapable of discerning the marks of true greatness, not to mention fidelity to constitutional government. It is doubtful that most of them even understand what constitutional government is. And as for Christian conservatives, they can barely see any issues beyond abortion and “gay rights.” To try and convince them to support a constitutionalist candidate is like talking to a brick wall.

So, what choice does the Republican Party offer the American people this year? The worst of all possible choices: good old John “McSame” McCain.

Let’s be clear: a John McCain Presidency will be no better than a Hillary Clinton or a Barack Obama Presidency. In fact, in many ways, a McCain White House will be WORSE than a Democratic one.

On many issues, there is virtually no distinction between John McCain and any potential Democratic candidate. John McCain is no friend to gun owners. He is no friend to pro-lifers. He is no friend to fiscal conservatives. He is no friend to property owners. He is no friend to “family values” voters. He is no friend to America’s blue-collar workers. He is no friend to small business owners. He is no friend to opponents of illegal immigration.

On the other hand, John McCain is a great friend to Big Business. Similarly, he is a friend to Big Government and Big Brother. He is also a friend to open borders, supranational government, regionalism, and American imperialism.

But this is where the Boogeyman comes in.

At this point, Republican Party lackeys will break in and say, “We can’t let Hillary Clinton win. We can’t let Barack Obama win.” Even the favored son of the Religious Right, Mike Huckabee, has endorsed John McCain, not to mention Mitt Romney and virtually every other Republican “bigwig.” (Thank God, Ron Paul has maintained his integrity by NOT endorsing McCain.)

I, for one, am fed up with this baloney, because what we are actually faced with is not the “lesser of two evils” but “the evil of two lessers.” (To quote a good friend of mine.) And the reason John McCain would actually be a worse President than either Obama or Clinton is because of the manner in which conservatives go to sleep whenever a Republican occupies the Oval Office. Furthermore, the next couple of years are “crunch time” for this burgeoning North American Union and related issues.

America is currently facing the most serious threat to its national independence and sovereignty since the War of 1812. The forces of globalism have declared an all-out war against our country’s independence. Illegal immigration, the NAFTA superhighway, the North American Community, a regional currency called the Amero, and “free trade” deals are just a few of the weapons in their arsenal. And John McCain will use every bit of his power as President to facilitate all of this chicanery. And, because McCain is a Republican, conservatives and Christians will sit back and let it happen without even the slightest whimper of resistance. If Obama or Clinton were sitting in the Oval Office, however, massive numbers of conservatives and Christians would rise in protest over every inch of ground ceded to these nefarious nabobs. So, tell me, who is the greater evil? I say it is John McCain.

I realize that there are many readers shouting to themselves right now and saying, “So what do we do, Chuck? We have to vote for one or the other.” To which I say, No you don’t. You can think outside the box. You don’t have to throw your vote away on either of these wretched candidates. You can cast a vote for principle and vote for a third party candidate.

I can hear readers screaming at me now, saying that voting for a third party candidate is a wasted vote. I strongly disagree! Casting a vote for a person who you know is unfaithful to your principles is a wasted vote! Voting for someone who you know will keep our borders and ports open to illegals, continue George Bush’s preemptive war doctrine, and facilitate a burgeoning hemispheric government–not to mention someone who will increase and augment a burgeoning Orwellian police state–is a wasted vote!

At some point, we Americans must decide whether we will tolerate the continued sellout of our freedoms and principles or not. Will we swallow the shallow squeals of the establishment elite who think we are a bunch of sheep to be herded into their New World Order? Or will we stand our ground? Will we vote our principles and our conscience?

It does not matter that the pundits and experts say we can’t win. That is not our business. As John Quincy Adams said, “Duty is ours; results are God’s.” When will Christians, especially, quit trying to play politics and start standing for principle? They talk a lot about principle, but when it comes down to where the rubber meets the road, most don’t act like people of principle.

If God intends to give America another chance, if He intends to return these United States to constitutional government, and if He intends to preserve America’s independence, it will only come in the form of a miracle. And miracles do not happen by the machinations of pragmatic planners. Miracles are just that.

America was born a miracle, and it could now be given a new birth by miracle. If so, it would demand that people of principle start acting like it. That we cast aside the pragmatic, the reasonable, the sophisticated, and the expected. That we–as did the priests of old–would be willing to step out into the raging current of the Jordan River, knowing that either God would part the water or we would drown. That we would be willing to sign our names to a document–as did our Founding Fathers–that would make us either the enemies of the state or the inventors of a new nation. It means taking risks; it means doing the impractical; it means rejecting accepted wisdom and standing for principle.

I am convinced that only a miracle can save America now. And I am expecting God to grant such a miracle. Beyond that, I am willing to do my part to place myself in a position to let God use my voice and my vote to accomplish this miracle. And if that means voting for someone who “has no chance of winning” in order to let God take the glory for whatever victory results, it is the least I can do. So, who will join me?

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
April 8, 2008

“Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.” (1 Corinthians 10:14 KJV)

This is a strange verse, is it not? After all, the Apostle Paul is addressing Christians. How can Christians be guilty of idolatry? I thought idolatry was something that only heathens could be guilty of committing. Yet, Paul plainly addressed believers when he said, “my dearly beloved.”

Christian idolatry: I submit it is more rampant than anyone wants to admit.

Simply put, idolatry is the sin of giving someone or something a place of preeminence above the Lord God. It is the violation of the First of the Ten Commandments. And, yes, Christians can be just as guilty of this sin as unbelievers.

In these United States, there is perhaps no area where the sin of idolatry is more universally practiced than in the area of government. Call it civil affairs, or politics, or affairs of state. Call it what you will, the result is the same: Christians by the millions have surrendered Christ’s authority and principles to humanism and pragmatism.

For one thing, a sizeable number of believers allowed President George W. Bush to redefine their Christian principles almost out of existence. They willingly looked the other way while Bush betrayed his word (not to mention the Constitution) and catapulted conservative principles into outer darkness. To the point, that they can now even support someone as liberal as John McCain and still call him a “conservative.”

I will say it straight out: any Christian or conservative who supports John McCain has no principles left worth defending!

Can anyone remember when George W. Bush ran for the White House in 2000, promising the American people that he would pursue a non-interventionist foreign policy? So much for that promise.

George W. Bush has orchestrated the most meddlesome, interventionist, and nation-building foreign policy of any President in modern memory. And Christians became his most vocal supporters. Now, John McCain gets in front of international television and jokes about bombing Iran, and once again, Christians stand up and cheer.

Christians have swallowed the Bush/McCain Kool-Aid as surely as did the followers of Jim Jones. They are drunk with denial and deception.

Bush promised the American people that he would promote less government spending. He then turned around and led the U.S. government to borrow and spend more taxpayer dollars than any President since Lyndon Johnson. And, again, Christians looked the other way.

President Bush promised the American people that he would preserve, protect, and defend the Constitution of the United States. He promised to respect the Bill of Rights, including the Fourth Amendment.

Since becoming President, however, George W. Bush has ignored the Constitution and trampled the Bill of Rights, especially the Fourth Amendment, with utter abandonment. And what did Christians do? They either looked the other way or, in some cases, even lauded his unconstitutional conduct.

How could Christians sacrifice their principles and convictions so easily? How could they be so willing to surrender their loyalties–both to Christ as the organic Sovereign of this land, and to constitutional government, which is, itself, built on Biblical principles?

Some Christians would say they are supporting President Bush because he is “one of us.” Of course, this reasoning betrays logic. If George W. Bush is truly “one of us,” he should be held to a higher–not lower–standard. That we would be willing to look the other way because Bush is “one of us” is repulsive to true Christian principles. Plus, it brings Christianity as a whole into disrepute with unbelievers. And this is exactly what has happened. Instead of unbelievers being attracted to Christ and His Word, George W. Bush–and the Christians who follow him–have turned unbelievers away from Christ. Bush and Company have made it harder–not easier–to present Christ to a lost and dying world. And that goes for people in foreign countries as well as people in America.

However, I am convinced that the reason Christians support President Bush is not because he is a professing born-again Christian. I say that because these same people are now also supporting John McCain, a man who has never professed a born-again relationship with Jesus Christ. Oh, he claims to be a “Christian” in a general sense, but what politician doesn’t?

McCain is also a man who has consistently betrayed conservative principles throughout his political career. He has even lampooned and denigrated Christian people, calling them “agents of intolerance.” Yet, today Christians are supporting John McCain. Why? It is not because of his religious profession. It is not because of a conservative track record. Why are they supporting him, then? Why are they willing to surrender their convictions? There is only one reason: John McCain (like George W. Bush) is a REPUBLICAN.

There it is: countless millions of professing Christians will eagerly abandon their commitment to constitutional government and Biblical principles in order to accommodate a Republican Presidential candidate. In the minds of many Christians, the Republican Party is more important than the U.S. Constitution. It is more important than conservative principles or even Biblical injunctions. In essence, the Republican Party has become an IDOL in the hearts and minds of many professing believers.

So, how can we ask God to bless America when God’s children have set up the groves of idolatry in their hearts? How can we expect God to heal our land when Christian pastors, Sunday School teachers, deacons, ushers, and faithful church members place more loyalty and allegiance in a political party than they do in the very Word and principles of God?

As surely as the pagans of the Old Testament worshipped before the gods of Baal and Ashteroth, many Christians worship before the GOP. They are willing to sacrifice their children to the policies and practices of unscrupulous, evil politicians–as long as they have an “R” behind their names. They will turn their back on their pastors, their churches, their friends, and their commitments before they will turn their backs on the Republican Party.

To many Christians, God cannot work in America outside the Republican Party. God cannot bless America, except through the Republican Party. There is no success, no help, no assistance, and no redemption except through the Republican Party. If this is not idolatry, I do not know what is!

If Christians will support John McCain, they will support anyone. Support for John McCain means no principle is sacred; no conviction is secure.

It is one thing for radio and television talking heads to allow themselves to be Republican lackeys for profit. It is quite another thing for pastors and Christians to allow themselves to idolize the GOP for no good reason at all.

Why can Christians not see what their blind loyalty is doing to our country? Why can they not rise, as did Daniel and the Hebrew children, for truth and right? Do they not realize that God may want to use some other vehicle, some other source, some other instrument than the GOP to bring restoration and revival to America? And if He did, how would Christians today recognize or understand it? Has it not dawned on our brethren that the GOP may have become lost beyond redemption, and that they are being led as blind men–by blind men–into the ditch? And would they know it, if they were?

Oh, Christian friend, please open your eyes! Take a good, hard look at truth. Remember our history. Put your confidence in God and right, and throw off the fetters of blind loyalty to Republican compromise. Bind our civil magistrates down with the chains of the Constitution. If you do not, they will certainly bind us down with the chains of oppression (which they are already doing). If we, as Christians, cannot hold our civil leaders accountable to the Constitution, how in the name of common sense can we hold our churches and our children accountable to the Bible? It is no coincidence that we are losing constitutional government and Biblical practice simultaneously. They indeed go hand in hand.

When our Christian forebears fought our War for Independence, they had one motto: No King But Jesus. The day that our brethren reclaim that spirit and tear down the political altars they have erected to the GOP is the day God might begin to bring life and restoration back to America.

“Wherefore, my dearly beloved, flee from idolatry.”

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
April 1, 2008

America’s most celebrated jurist, Daniel Webster (himself a dedicated Christian man), said, “God grants liberty only to those who love it, and are always ready to guard and defend it.” Obviously, Christian men down through our history have personally and collectively shown themselves more than willing to “guard and defend” our liberties. From Bunker Hill to the Alamo, Christian men stood tall in the defense of America’s freedom. So, it is more than a little disconcerting to realize that there is a sizeable percentage of today’s Christians who seem completely unwilling to “guard and defend” liberty in these United States of America.

Oh, I know that almost all of our pastors and church leaders will laud and honor a young Christian man’s decision to join our armed forces and go overseas to fight enemies abroad. But when it comes to opposing those within our own country who seek to dismantle constitutional government or the principles of liberty, their support for resistance turns to apathy and indifference. (The reason for this couldn’t be because they simply don’t want to do the hard work, could it? Please tell me it ain’t so!)

I have even had Christians tell me that we should not oppose any attempts to resist draconian developments within our country, because doing so would actually be resisting God. The reasoning goes something like this: “The Bible says things will get worse and worse. Therefore, all this ‘bad’ stuff happening is God’s will, and if we try to prevent it, we are fighting against God’s will.” I know it sounds incredible, but we might be shocked as to the number of professing Christians that actually subscribe to such nonsense.

Isn’t it interesting, however, that these same Christians did not believe we were fighting against God’s will when we sent hundreds of thousands of U.S. military forces (many of them Christians) to fight and destroy the evil regime of Saddam Hussein in Iraq? If things are supposed to get worse and worse and we would be opposing God’s will by resisting, why should we interfere in Iraq? Why should we send troops to Afghanistan, if we are not to resist evil?

And, of course, the bigger question is, If it is right to resist evil in a foreign country half way around the world, why is it not right to resist evil in our own country?

Furthermore, the same Christians that tell us we should not oppose any evil being perpetrated by those within our own government will scream about the importance of going to the polls in November and defeating the “evil” Democrats. But why? If Christians are not to resist evil, because the Bible says things will get worse and worse, why should we worry about who wins an election? In fact, it would seem that the best thing we could do would be to identify the absolute worst, most evil candidate we could find and vote for him (or her). After all, if God intends for things to get worse and worse, why don’t we help Him out by assisting the efforts of evil people?

I wonder if Christians actually think about what they are saying?

When Jesus said, “resist not evil,” (Matt. 5:39) did He mean that we should not oppose a would-be rapist or murderer? Did He mean we should not oppose those who would destroy our homes or country? I know a few honest pacifists. However, this is not the belief system of most Christians. Most Christians believe in lawful self-defense (including this writer).

The fact is, if it is right to oppose evil in Iraq (and I am among those who question the constitutional right and authority of the war in Iraq), it is right to oppose evil in America. If we Christians are willing to send our fellow believers to fight and die in opposition to tyranny half way around the world, it is right that we should be willing to fight and even die in opposition to tyranny right here at home. It is absolute lunacy for Christians to flippantly dismiss their moral, spiritual, and civil obligation to resist the tyrannical tendencies of corrupt political powers in these United States.

Christians are plainly commanded to resist the Evil One (James 4:7; 1 Peter 5:9). When Abraham’s nephew, Lot, was taken captive by an alien army, did Abraham say, “Things are going to get worse and worse and there is nothing we can do about it”? Or did he gather his own army and attack the invaders and deliver his nephew (see Genesis chapter 14)?

During the dark days of Israel’s captivities, did not God raise up deliverers to stand against the evildoers? When David saw Goliath, did he say, “Things are supposed to get worse and worse”? Or did he gather his sling and stones and march out to face the pagan?

The history of the early church in New Testament times is one continuous example of resistance to tyrannical authority. The apostles repeatedly refused to submit to the dictates and demands of both Jewish and Roman authorities. Every apostle, save John, was killed for resisting carnal authority.

Throughout church history, martyrdom was common. Some such as Huss and Tyndale died passively at the hands of various religious and political elements, while others such as Zwingli died on the battlefield resisting corrupt and tyrannical governments.

The fact is, for more than two thousand years of Church history–from John the Baptist to John Witherspoon–Christians have repeatedly and consistently resisted evil authorities. How dare pastors and Christians now say that we should not resist the evil, tyrannical tendencies of powerful politicos? How dare they suggest that it is “God’s will” that we allow evil to triumph in our land?

Worse still is the apathy and indifference that many Christians display toward the great freedoms and liberties into which they have been born as Americans. We enjoy these great liberties, because our forebears (many of them Christians) were willing to fight and die to bequeath them to us. We do not enjoy the rights and freedoms enumerated in the Constitution and Bill of Rights and announced in the Declaration of Independence by chance or luck. These freedoms were secured by the blood, sweat, and tears of brave Americans who chose to fight evil in our own country.

America has enjoyed the blessings of liberty, because, as Webster said, our fathers and grandfathers were willing to “guard and defend” it. Will this be the generation that refuses to “guard and defend” liberty? Will this be the generation that permits the evil machinations of powerful, but corrupt, authorities to steal liberty from our posterity?

There is another statement by Daniel Webster that today’s Christians need to take to heart: “There is no nation on earth powerful enough to accomplish our overthrow. Our destruction, should it come at all, will be from another quarter. From the inattention of the people to the concerns of their government, from their carelessness and negligence. I must confess that I do apprehend some danger. I fear that they may place too implicit a confidence in their public servants, and fail properly to scrutinize their conduct; that in this way they may be made the dupes of designing men, and become the instruments of their own undoing.”

Should Webster’s warning come true for America, it will be because our pastors and Christian leaders refused to “guard and defend” liberty in our own land. Should this happen, our tombstone will read, “Here lies the United States of America: killed by the apathy and indifference of its pastors and churches.”

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
March 28, 2008

A friend recently turned me on to the CBS television series, Jericho. I watch so little network television that I confess to never having seen the show before this week. Obviously, then, I am quite uninformed as to the overall plot and previous episodes. What I saw Tuesday evening, however, stunned me. Why? Because it very aptly depicted what could become a very real-life scenario for these United States in the not-so-distant future.

If I accurately picked up the basic plot of the show, average, freedom-loving citizens in the Western U.S. are fighting against tyrannical elements of their own government, including military forces. The State of Texas has declared its independence from the corrupt new government and another civil war is breaking out in America. And all this was predicated upon a nuclear attack, which some believed was an inside job. Am I close?

Contributing further to my amazement was the way Jericho used real-life political events to depict America’s fall into tyranny. I was flabbergasted to see the characters of Jericho refer to the Continuity of Government act as the foundation for the government’s declaration of martial law after the nuclear attack had occurred.

Ladies and gentlemen, the Continuity of Government (COG) act is not television make-believe: it is the real deal.

To read up on COG, go to Wikipedia’s entry at http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Continuity_of_Operations_Plan

In addition, I have reported the potential problems associated with COG in this column.

See http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2007/cbarchive_20070112.html

See also http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/c2007/cbarchive_20070525.html

Here is a quote from the Wikipedia entry: “The George W. Bush administration put the Continuity of Operations plan into effect for the first time directly following the September 11, 2001 attacks. Their implementation involves a rotating staff of 75 to 150 senior officials and other government workers from every Cabinet department and other parts of the executive branch in two secure bunkers on the East Coast . . . .

“The Bush Administration officially admitted the implementation of the plan on March 1, 2002. Key congressional leaders say they didn’t know this government-in-waiting had been established.

“On July 18, 2007 Rep. Peter DeFazio, D-Ore., a member of the U. S. House Committee on Homeland Security, was denied access to the classified version of the continuity of government plan. Though members can access classified information, this is the first time documents have been denied.”

As I wrote on January 12, 2007, “In a nutshell, proponents of COG envision a terrorist attack that would precipitate the suspension of the U.S. Constitution. Specifically, COG would authorize Congress to appoint its own members, including those in state legislatures, without a vote of the people. COG even envisions the enactment of such authority for reasons of ‘incapacitation’ (whatever that is) even if no emergency exists.”

Noted author, Dr. Jerome Corsi, wrote this of Bush’s enactment of COG, “Translated into layman’s terms, when the president determines a national emergency has occurred, the president can declare to the office of the presidency powers usually assumed by dictators to direct any and all government and business activities until the emergency is declared over.”

Contrary to the ranting of politicians and media talking heads about how great things are going in these United States, millions of Americans are becoming increasingly aware of the total corruption, crookedness, and chicanery of government officials. They have had it with being lied to, cheated, and beaten down with thousands of rules, regulations, and laws, which serve only to empower the political and business elite. They do not trust any of their politicians to tell them the truth. Their money and jobs are disappearing; their children are being brainwashed in government schools; their homes and property are being taxed out of existence; and even their country’s very sovereignty is being forfeited to foreign interests. I believe the level of frustration and anger is rising to the point that a Jericho scenario could very easily occur.

I personally believe there are only three reasons why we are not already living the Jericho experience. One, people have been quite comfortable in their own personal lifestyles. They have enjoyed comfortable homes, nice automobiles, fine clothes, and pleasure-filled vacations. Who in their right mind wants to give up the tranquility of hearth and home? Two, most of America still rests upon a Christian foundation. As such, Americans believe in peace and harmony. They believe in law and order. They believe in submitting to authority. Three, there has not been an overt, large-scale attempt by government to confiscate the firearms of the American people. Remember, it was the Crown’s attempted gun confiscation at Concord that ignited the American Revolution back in 1775.

However, the materialistic comfort of the average American is quickly fading away. People are losing their jobs, their livelihoods, their homes, and their savings. More than that, they are losing hope for a better tomorrow, and they are losing confidence in their government to honestly protect their freedoms–even their national identity.

Plus, most Christians know that there is such a thing as lawful rebellion. Even Christ’s early disciples said no to various governments during extreme situations. And for us Americans, freedom and liberty runs deep in our veins. Many of us have not buried our Don’t Tread On Me banners. We share the sentiment of Benjamin Franklin who said, “Rebellion to tyrants is obedience to God.”

Furthermore, Hurricane Katrina put the American people on notice that their government is more than willing to confiscate their firearms. Plus, the forthcoming Supreme Court ruling regarding the right to keep and bear arms is likely to authorize even tighter government regulation on this fundamental right. Even more disconcerting are the reports we are hearing from soldiers coming home from Iraq and Afghanistan telling us that they are being told to prepare for orders to turn their weapons on the American people, should the President declare martial law. (I have had more than one Iraq War veteran tell me this.)

I am afraid that the CBS television series Jericho is more than fantasy: it could be a prediction of the future. As Thomas Jefferson said, “I tremble for my country.”

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
March 25, 2008

I think it is time that we all stood up and gave the Republican Party a big round of applause. I mean, they have done us all a huge favor. By an overwhelming majority, the GOP has prevented a potential plague from enveloping these United States of America, and I think it is time that we acknowledged it. Yes, the GOP stopped a potential catastrophe. Without the combined efforts of millions of Republicans, there is no telling what kind of disaster might have ensued. Let’s hear it for the GOP! Hip Hip Hooray!

For a few minutes there, I thought the GOP might have lost its mind, but I am glad to report that all is well with the Republican Party. The international bankers and oil companies, and the military-industrial complex, as well as the presidents of Mexico and Canada, can breathe easy. With John McCain as the presumptive Republican nominee, the globalist power brokers who have dominated the last three Presidential administrations can know that they are still in charge. There will be no changing of the guard this November.

It was scary there for a while. You see, there was this kook who was running for the Republican nomination that had the potential to upset the applecart real good. But thankfully, the fine people within the GOP rose to the occasion and beat back the attempts of his nutty supporters to vault him to the nomination.

After all, just think what would have taken place if this kook Ron Paul had won the Republican nomination for President. This nut case actually believes that the U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of the land. Imagine that. That means he would never take America to war except with a Declaration of War by Congress. Think how such a thing would prevent America’s meddling and interventionism worldwide. Think of the billions and even trillions of tax dollars that would not need to be spent overseas. Think of how much money Halliburton would lose. Think of how much money the Federal Reserve bankers would lose by not being able to loan money to the U.S. government. It is too ghastly to think about.

Furthermore, this Ron Paul nut might have actually insisted that the federal government declare unborn babies to be “persons” under the law. Think of it. This would mean that every unborn baby would have the immediate protection of law. And this would have happened without the necessity of appointing a single Supreme Court justice. Whew! The Republican Party dodged a bullet on that one. Now they can continue to talk about being “pro-life” for the next thirty years in order to fool Christian conservatives into voting for them without having to actually do anything about it.

This Ron Paul kook would also have put a stop to the incessant spying on the American people by their own federal government. Egad! This Paul character would have set America back two hundred years. Think of it. No more illegal wiretaps. No more reading private emails, letters, and telegrams. No more harassment by the BATFE of law-abiding firearms dealers for honest errors in paperwork. No more using the wars on “terror” and “drugs” to violate the Fourth Amendment. Think of the money that would be lost by the feds not confiscating the private property of the American people.

In addition, if this Ron Paul nut had actually become President, he might have succeeded in abolishing the Internal Revenue Service and overturning the Sixteenth Amendment. Holy Horrors! Can you imagine the tragedy that would have ensued? No more income taxes. No more tax forms to fill out. No more IRS agents arresting hard-working citizens for “tax evasion.” No more government tracking of our private financial transactions. Think of the US attorneys whose services would no longer be necessary. Imagine that. The federal government would actually be required to live within its means; it could no longer raise taxes, because there would be no more taxes to raise.

And if all of the above is not bad enough, this Ron Paul kook would actually demand that the federal government obey the Tenth Amendment. This, all by itself, would reduce the size and scope of the federal government by at least fifty percent. Imagine if the American people suddenly had the federal government out of their pocketbooks and off their backs? What would they do with all that newfound freedom? It is too scary to contemplate.

Do not worry, however. Thanks to the fine men and women of the Republican Party, John McCain will carry their standard into the November elections. Yes, my dear friends, David Rockefeller and his fellow travelers at the Council on Foreign Relations can rest easy. Should McCain win the general election, they will retain their influence in the White House. Indeed, we can all rest easier knowing that John McCain will be the Republican nominee for President.

After all, John McCain will see to it that our borders and ports remain open to illegal aliens. In fact, a McCain Presidency will ensure that illegal aliens become permanent U.S. citizens. Or better yet, that the U.S. and Mexico will be merged into a North American Community, thus eliminating the need for U.S. citizenship altogether. This will greatly help the Chamber of Commerce and Big Business. Think of the money they can save by hiring cheap Mexican labor. Think of the plants and factories that can be moved to Mexico. Think of the cheap Chinese goods that can be loaded onto Mexican trucks from Mexican ports and shipped into the United States on the NAFTA superhighways.

And did I mention the advantage a John McCain Presidency will provide to incumbents in future elections? Because John McCain does not believe in the U.S. Constitution, the First Amendment means nothing to him. This is good, because he can use the bully pulpit of the Presidency to promote his McCain/Feingold bill that would make it illegal for citizens to voice their concerns and opinions regarding the voting records of incumbents during a general election. That means those sinister organizations such as the National Rifle Association and Gun Owners of America will no longer be able to publicly promote their views regarding the anti-Second Amendment voting records of congressmen and senators.

That Ron Paul kook would never have tolerated such a law as McCain/Feingold. But thanks to the fine men and women of the Republican Party, we do not need to worry about these little inconveniences such as the First and Second Amendments (or any of the other articles within the Bill of Rights, for that matter), because they wisely selected John McCain to be their standard-bearer.

Furthermore, because the good men and women of the GOP decided to nominate John McCain, we can look forward to one hundred years of war in the Middle East. We can all anticipate the opportunity of sending our troops into harm’s way all over the world to promote the interests of international corporations, nation-building, and other U.N. machinations.

Had that nut Ron Paul been elected, he would have practiced a non-interventionist foreign policy. He would have sought peace with all nations. And, instead of preemptively invading foreign countries, he would have dealt constitutionally with terrorists, resulting in their capture or death, the protection of America, the absence of long-term war, and the respect of nations throughout the world. Furthermore, that nut Paul would have refused to use U.S. forces to do the bidding of the United Nations and other international entities.

However, we do not need to worry about old-fashioned, out-of-date ideas such as constitutional government, conservative principles, or common sense, because the fine men and women of the Republican Party wisely chose John McCain as their presumptive Presidential nominee. Yes, indeed. Let’s hear it for the GOP!

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

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© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
March 21, 2008

On this Good Friday, it behooves us to remind ourselves (Christians should need no reminder) of the significance of this season. Along with the virgin birth, the death and resurrection of Jesus Christ forms the cornerstone of the Christian faith. Indeed, the resurrection of Jesus separates Christianity from all the world’s religions.

Furthermore, the overwhelming number of America’s founders understood the connection between the Christian faith and the rise of these United States. John Quincy Adams said, “The highest glory of the American revolution was this: it connected, in one indissoluble bond, the principles of civil government with the principles of Christianity.”

Adams also said, “From the day of the Declaration . . .they [the American people] were bound by the laws of God, which they all, and by the laws of the Gospel, which they nearly all, acknowledge as the rules of their conduct.”

Then, on July 4, 1837, Adams said these words, “Why is it that, next to the birthday of the Savior of the World, your most joyous and most venerated festival returns on this day? . . . Is it not that, in the chain of human events, the birthday of the nation is indissolubly linked with the birthday of the Savior? That it forms a leading event in the progress of the gospel dispensation? Is it not that the Declaration of Independence first organized the social compact on the foundation of the Redeemer’s mission upon earth? That it laid the corner stone of human government upon the first precepts of Christianity, and gave to the world the first irrevocable pledge of the fulfillment of the prophecies, announced directly from Heaven at the birth of the Savior and predicted by the greatest of the Hebrew prophets six hundred years before?”

Daniel Webster also acknowledged the relationship between our founders’ Christian faith and America’s creation. He said, “Finally, let us not forget the religious character of our origin. Our fathers were brought hither by their high veneration for the Christian religion. They journeyed by its light, and labored in its hope. They sought to incorporate its principles with the elements of their society, and to diffuse its influence through all their institutions, civil, political, or literary.”

Noah Webster, the man who is called the Father of American Education, said, “Education is useless without the Bible.” He also said, “The Bible was America’s basic textbook in all fields.”

Noah Webster went on to say, “In my view, the Christian religion is the most important and one of the first things in which all children, under a free government, ought to be instructed. . . . No truth is more evident to my mind, than that the Christian religion must be the basis of any government intended to secure the rights and privileges of a free people.”

One more quotation from Noah Webster is necessary at this point. He said, “The religion which has introduced civil liberty, is the religion of Christ and his apostles, which enjoins humility, piety, and benevolence; which acknowledges in every person a brother, or a sister, and a citizen with equal rights. This is genuine Christianity, and to this we owe our free constitutions of government.”

These sentiments were the sentiments of America from the inception of our great country. Remember, the voyagers of the Mayflower made a covenant between themselves and Almighty God. It is called the Mayflower Compact, and in it they said the reason they had made the voyage and determined to plant a colony in the new world was “for the glory of God, and advancement of the Christian faith.”

It was only in the last half of the 20th Century that America began trying to distance itself from our Christian heritage. Yet today, educators, entertainers, chief executives, and politicians are in the process of supplanting our Christian heritage with the pseudoreligions of secularism and multiculturalism.

What many people do not understand is that when America abandons its dependence upon the God of the Bible, it will–at the same time–surrender the very foundation of our liberty and independence. As Thomas Jefferson said, “And can the liberties of a nation be thought secure when we have removed their only firm basis, a conviction in the minds of the people that these liberties are the gift of God? That they are not to be violated but with His wrath?”

Patrick Henry agreed with Jefferson. He said, “It is when people forget God that tyrants forge their chains.”

As we celebrate the vicarious death and victorious resurrection of Jesus Christ, may each of us rededicate ourselves to preserving the great Christian heritage of these United States for our posterity. And this commitment involves much more than attending church once a week or repeating an occasional catechism. It means we must seek to incorporate the principles of liberty and independence into the very fabric of our lives and work. It means we will offer eternal vigilance to the fundamental principles upon which America was built; we will not rest on our laurels. Liberty has no guarantees, no assurances. Each generation must work to preserve, protect, and defend the principles of constitutional government and Christian philosophy, or else liberty is lost.

The angel spoke of Christ declaring, “He is risen.” And so He is. And because Christ lives, liberty and freedom may also live. Why? Because “where the Spirit of the Lord is, there is liberty.”

HAPPY EASTER!

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
March 18, 2008

A recent USA Today report confirmed what most of us already knew: America has lost touch with its history. The story ran on February 26, 2008 and begins by saying, “Big Brother. McCarthyism. The patience of Job.

“Don’t count on your typical teenager to nod knowingly the next time you drop a reference to any of these. A study out today finds that about half of 17-year-olds can’t identify the books or historical events associated with them.

“Twenty-five years after the federal report A Nation At Risk challenged U.S. public schools to raise the quality of education, the study finds high schoolers still lack important historical and cultural underpinnings of ‘a complete education.’”

This report only touches the tip of the iceberg. The fact is, the current generation of Americans is more “historically challenged” than any previous generation. The public education system has all but eradicated a healthy knowledge and respect for American history. I believe the indifference of public education to our great history is deliberate and intentional.

Not only is true American history not being taught, what is being taught is mostly a distortion of our history. For example, virtually every child in America can quickly identify Martin Luther King, Jr., as the father of the civil rights movement, but many, if not most, cannot identify George Washington as the Father of Our Country. Fewer still know that James Madison was The Father of the U.S. Constitution or that Sam Adams was the Father of the American Revolution. School children are indoctrinated in political-correctness, but are taught nothing of the fundamental principles of liberty upon which America was founded.

By contrast, when I attended a public elementary school back in the 1960s, I well remember reading copious volumes on America’s Founding Fathers. In fact, I recall that our required reading included documents such as Washington’s Farewell Address. On the whole, however, today’s public school children do not even recognize names such as Thomas Jefferson, Patrick Henry, Benjamin Franklin, or Alexander Hamilton.

Beyond that, about the only references that are given about America’s founders are insults, criticisms, and downright slander. Our Founding Fathers are referred to as racists, homophobes, extremists, etc. Even the faith of America’s founders is mostly impugned in modern public education. Their deep reverence for God and the Bible is either totally ignored or, just as often, ridiculed. Hardly ever will a child learn that our nation’s founders were mostly (by a vast margin) Christians. If there is any reference at all to their faith, they are simply called “Deists,” (a belief-system which can be honestly applied to only a couple of founders).

Without an understanding of our Christian history and heritage, however, people cannot possibly comprehend the principles that galvanized Colonial America and glued this republic together. Without at least a rudimentary understanding of Natural Law, one cannot possibly comprehend–much less appreciate–America’s Declaration of Independence, our war for independence, or the Bill of Rights.

Is it any wonder, then, that our country seems to lack both a rudder and a compass? Is it any wonder that multiculturalism is in the process of tearing our country apart? If things continue as they are currently going, these United States of America will soon become a regionalized, hemispheric, borderless state, without distinction or recognition. A nation without a history is a nation without a future.

In the meantime, it is not surprising that so many American families are completely bypassing the public education system and choosing to homeschool their children. Others are sending their children to private, Christian, or parochial schools, because public schools have become little more than massively-expensive incubators of violence, teen pregnancy, illiteracy, and anti-America propaganda. And that goes for many of our institutions of higher learning as well.

Add to a public education system that already reeks of failure the unbelievable situation in California, where the promotion of homosexuality is part of the curriculum and where homeschool parents are being threatened with criminal prosecution. It is perfectly understandable why an organized effort is underway in The Golden State called California Exodus 2008, which encourages and assists parents in removing their children from the public schools.

See the Exodus Mandate website at
http://www.exodusmandate.org

This is also the reason why my staff and I worked so hard to put together The Freedom Documents, a compilation of 50 of our country’s great historical documents in one volume, under one title. The next printing of The Freedom Documents will be in June, 2008, but we do have a special early printing of some 30 copies of The Freedom Documents currently on hand, which may be purchased now. Or, readers may also reserve their copies of The Freedom Documents for the June printing now.

To order or reserve Freedom Documents, go here:
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/products.html

If we do not have a serious and concerted effort to restore knowledge and respect for America’s history quickly, this once-great land of liberty will not long survive. I applaud the efforts of many who are desperately trying to resurrect a hunger and thirst for American history. Unfortunately, in order to succeed at our task, we are competing against a heavily financed (by our own tax dollars) public education monstrosity that seeks to bury our history in the graveyard of irrelevance. We must not let that happen.

If you still have children at home, make reading and studying American history a high priority. Beyond that, prayerfully consider moving your children out of the public school system. Most communities have networks of homeschooling parents that can answer questions regarding the homeschool alternative. And, of course, most communities have a few–or in some cases many–private and/or Christian schools nearby.

If we rely on the public school system, the mainstream media, the entertainment industry, or even most churches to help teach America’s great history and heritage to our children, they will not learn it. And what they do learn will be nothing short of anti-America propaganda. If our children are going to learn American history, they are going to learn it from their parents and grandparents. So, Mom and Dad, what are you waiting for? Get busy!

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
March 14, 2008

By now everyone in the information world knows about the sex scandal that forced New York Governor Eliot Spitzer out of office. For those who have been on Mars the past few days, Governor Spitzer was caught in an FBI wiretap probe involving an expensive prostitution service. Apparently, the governor has been utilizing these prostitution services for some ten years and has spent tens of thousands of dollars for his numerous trysts. The sting that caught him involved a banking institution alerting federal authorities (as they do millions–yes millions–of times every year) to “suspicious” financial transactions between Spitzer and the call girl service, The Emperors Club VIP. At the time of this writing, no criminal charges have been filed against Spitzer. (They seldom are in these cases.) Obviously, the embarrassment of the revelation forced Spitzer to resign.

Should Governor Spitzer have resigned? Of course. Elected officials who practice adultery betray more than their families; they betray the trust of the people who elected them. In the old days, adultery would even have disqualified a person from military or government promotion–perhaps even their very position. Adultery is the cause of countless divorces and the source of many children’s and teenagers’ societal malfunction. It is a curse on our country. No one abhors adultery more than I do.

That said, there is a nagging question in the back of my mind, Why did the hammer fall on Governor Spitzer now? After all, it is no hyperbole to say that when it comes to big league politics, adultery and fornication are, sadly, par for the course. And readers don’t need to write and tell me how judgmental I am, because it is the truth.

Sometimes I wish I had not learned the things I’ve learned and had not been exposed to the truth as I have been. Sometimes the truth is not very pretty. And the fact is, Washington politics–and by virtue of his very position, the governor of New York is included in Washington politics–is infested with sexual immorality. And “infested” is putting it mildly. The Republican and Democrat parties alike are awash in sexual immorality–both heterosexual and homosexual. And 99% of this debauchery is never reported. The guilty politicos are never “caught,” never “outed.”

So, why was Governor Spitzer “caught?” Don’t forget that Spitzer has been carrying on this way for at least ten years. Suddenly, now, he is found out.

They say that Governor Spitzer was “Client 9″ for this particular hooker. So, who are “clients 1-8″? And who are “clients 10-100″? Why do we not know their names? Anyone able to afford this prostitute’s price of $1,000 per hour has to be someone of means. Who were they?

Were the other “clients” CEOs of Fortune 500 companies? If so, which ones? Were they congressmen or senators? If so, who? Were they White House executives? Were they Pentagon brass? Were they media celebrities? If so, what are their names? Were they foreign diplomats? If so, who are they, and from which countries did they come? Do you get my point?

How is it that in this elaborate FBI “sting,” only Governor Eliot Spitzer was “caught?”

Now, do not get me wrong, I personally never did like Spitzer. For one thing, he is a New York liberal. That, all by itself, is enough for me to dislike the man. Furthermore, he did everything in his power to force the state of New York to decriminalize and legitimize illegal aliens. That, too, would be enough for me to dislike him. Beyond that, he, by all accounts, was a mean-spirited, arrogant, crush-anybody-who-got-in-his-way kind of guy. Let’s face it, Eliot Spitzer is an easy man to dislike (at least for me).

However, Spitzer’s personality and public policies are not the issue here. Aberrant sexual conduct among the politically powerful is exclusive to no political party or agenda. Adulterers are found among Democrats and Republicans, liberals and conservatives, old and young, men and women, northerners and southerners, easterners and westerners, Christians, and Jews, as well as people of no particular faith. I ask again, Why was Governor Spitzer “caught”?

Ladies and gentlemen, if the FBI or the major media wanted to publicize the dirt that they already have on the various “high and mighty” in Washington, D.C., half the city would be resigning tomorrow.

So, why was Governor Spitzer “outed”? I do not have the answer to that question, but, mark it down, somebody in Washington, D.C. has the answer. Somebody–or a group of somebodies–decided that Eliot Spitzer had to go. Of that I am sure. I wish I knew who they were, and I wish I knew the reason why. But, believe me, there was a reason.

There is an old saying inside the Beltway, “When it comes to politics, there are no accidents or coincidences.” There is a reason for everything that goes on in Washington, D.C. That is something you can take to the old proverbial bank. It’s just that unimportant people such as you and me are not privy to what those reasons are.

Of course there is another saying, “Be sure your sin will find you out.” That’s from God’s playbook, the Bible. But for most of the rich and powerful reprobates who are engaging in this insidious conduct, that discovery will only come when they stand before the final judgment bench in eternity.

When it is convenient, or necessary, however, some scoundrels such as Governor Eliot Spitzer will be found out by the FBI and mainstream media. I sure would like to know the reason why. Wouldn’t you?

The other element of this story that is being vastly underreported is the fact that federal police agencies are secretly looking at the financial transactions of the American people all the time. According to the USA Today, “Banks and credit unions as well as currency dealers and stores that cash checks reported a record 17.6 million transactions to the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network in 2006, according to a report from the network, a bureau of the U.S. Treasury Department.”

The Today story goes on to say, “The Treasury Department’s database now contains records of more than 100 million financial transactions going back to at least 1996, said network spokesman Steve Hudak.”

Today also reported, “Financial institutions have long been required to report cash transactions over $10,000. Those reports–simple notices of a deposit or withdrawal–account for more than 90% of the records the enforcement network gets each year.

“Far more controversial are secret ’suspicious activity reports’ filed by financial institutions and reviewed by teams of agents spread around the country. . . .

“The number of suspicious activity reports soared from 413,000 in 2003 to 1 million in 2006, according to the enforcement network.”

The American people are largely unaware that they are now living in a universal surveillance society. Virtually every major financial transaction–as well as much of their travel–is reported and monitored by the federal government. This total surveillance system, that began in earnest under Bill Clinton’s administration, has mushroomed into a ubiquitous and finely tuned science under George W. Bush. Dare I say that Dubya’s neurotic fixation with spying on ordinary citizens rivals Comrade Stalin’s paranoiac obsession with a total surveillance society?

I can tell readers first-hand what living in this Brave New World is like. Back in the late ’90’s, I bought a used 1995 GMC half-ton, four wheel drive pick-up truck (which I still own). Over the course of a few years, I had saved around $5,000 in cash. I then sold my well-worn Ford Ranger pick-up truck for $5,000 cash. I was hoping I could pay cash for a bigger and better truck. Over the years growing up, I had watched my dad pay cash for most all of his purchases, including his vehicles. I thought it was one of the ultimate marks of freedom and enterprise in these United States to be able to work, save, and buy something of value with cash. I quickly discovered that the Federales in power these days do not share that same vision of freedom.

When I finally found the truck I mentioned, it cost a few thousand more than what I had saved, so I had to write a check for the difference. So, with $10,000 in cash and a check on borrowed funds, I drove off the car lot with my new (used) truck. It happens every day, right? Nothing unusual, right? Wrong!

To my shock and chagrin, a few days following the purchase of my truck, a criminal investigator from the IRS came to my front door and demanded to know where I got the cash to pay for my truck. I am not making this up, folks. After a lengthy interrogation, the IRS man left, but not before issuing me a subpoena to appear before a federal grand jury. Remember, this was in the late ’90’s, before Jorge Bush and Alberto Gonzales got their dictatorial hands on the helm of the myriad federal police agencies.

Mark it down, folks: you and I are constantly being watched, listened to, monitored, taped, and stalked by our own government. So, do any of us really believe that we still live in a free country? All this talk about a war on terrorism is a bunch of hooey. What is really happening is a war on freedom. The so-called “War on Terror” is only a smokescreen to hide the real agenda, which is to develop a federal police state where individual liberty is completely vanquished. And the really sad part of all of this is the manner in which the American people–especially our pastors and churches–seem to be willing to embrace and accept this burgeoning police state.

But since when did patriotism come to mean the acceptance of a total surveillance society? When did patriotism come to mean the love of Big Government or infatuation with Big Brother? When did patriotism come to mean the sacrifice of liberty in the name of security? When did patriotism come to mean the surrender of constitutional government and personal freedoms? When did patriotism come to mean submission to tyrannical bureaucracies?

Am I saddened that Eliot Spitzer got “caught?” Not a bit. He was just another rich reprobate who got what was coming to him. But, I still want to know why he was exposed, while all the others who are just as guilty, continue to enjoy the protection of anonymity.

What does sadden me is the manner in which our once-great land of independence and freedom is being turned into a globalist-dominated oligarchy, ruled by the iron fist of corrupt elitists. Plus, I am still waiting for the American people to awaken to what is going on and put a stop to it all. We had an opportunity to do just that by supporting the Presidential candidacy of Congressman Ron Paul. How many more opportunities will we have?

For further information on how our country is turning into a police state, go to http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/patriotact.html

Also, please be advised that very soon we will begin live-streaming my Sunday sermons at 10 a.m. Central time on Sunday mornings. Stay tuned to this column for further announcements. In the meantime, please view my archived video sermons at
http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/sermonvideo.html

*If you enjoyed this column and want to help me distribute these editorial opinions to an ever-growing audience, donations may now be made by credit card, check, or Money Order. Use this link:

http://www.chuckbaldwinlive.com/donate.php

© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

To learn more about his radio talk show please visit his web site at: www.chuckbaldwinlive.com. When responding, please include your name, city and state

Chuck Baldwin
March 11, 2008

Over the past several months, I have been privileged to attend (and sometimes endure) several significant gatherings of a variety of conservatives. Some of the meetings were large; others were small. The meetings sometimes featured mostly grassroots activists and sometimes very high-profile and notable conservative icons. In some of these meetings, I was allowed a platform to speak; in others, I was merely a spectator. In most of the meetings, there was a large percentage of Christian conservatives present. The meetings occurred in locations all over the country.

After witnessing the philosophizing, postulating, and pontificating of the various conservative speakers (or those to whom I spoke in private conversation), I am left with the very profound and distinct impression that the so-called conservative movement is dead. It is not dying: it is dead. Totally and thoroughly dead.

Oh, the spokesmen (and women) of the various conservative organizations will strongly argue that the conservative movement is as alive and vibrant as ever. They are either delusional or in denial. The truth is, there is no conservative movement in America today.

Most conservatives–even Christian conservatives–have embraced philosophies and ideals that are antithetical to genuine conservatism. In fact, my experience with these people leads me to the conclusion that today’s conservatives do not even know what true conservatism is–or was.

For example, I could not tell you how many times I have listened as speaker after speaker praised and promoted the candidacy of the “conservative” John McCain. These are the same people, mind you, that in 2004 properly identified McCain as the conservative phony that he was–and still is. Many of the same conservative organizations that rejected and repudiated McCain’s 2004 candidacy now boldly extol its virtues. But it is not John McCain that has changed: it is today’s conservatives.

The reason for this reversal of “convictions” is that this time John McCain is the presumptive Republican Presidential nominee. And if today’s conservatives believe in anything, they believe in the Republican Party. They might turn their backs on their best friends; they might forsake their pastor and church; they might even divorce their wife or husband; but, one thing they will not do is forsake the Republican Party. This rabid devotion to the GOP has made mincemeat out of a once-great movement.

Of course, there are modern-day prophets. Men such as Alan Keyes, Judge Roy Moore, and Ron Paul, for example. For the most part, however, America’s conservatives–including Christian conservatives–have dismissed these “voices in the wilderness” with either utter contempt or wholesale indifference. These prophets are about as welcome as an outbreak of influenza.

Even as a pastor, I am not immune to the odious attitudes and actions of Christian brethren. I have seen people I thought were my closest friends–people I have helped in untold ways–turn and walk away, without so much as a goodbye. I have watched as my own dear wife and children have been subjected to insults, tongue-lashings, and even obscene gestures by these “loving” Christian brothers and sisters. I have witnessed my preacher brethren refuse to even “reason together” over the omnipresent threats to our liberty and independence.

The beginning of the end came when Christian conservatives began idolizing President George W. Bush. They have done this to the point that they have come to accept just about any and all abuses against the Constitution, Bill of Rights, Declaration principles, and even our very way of life. Furthermore, they have become robotic foot soldiers for universal and everlasting war. At the same time, however, they see no harm in the decimation of individual liberties, as long as it is a Republican who is stealing them. But these same Christians will cry and wail–to the point of almost cutting themselves–against the thought of a Democrat doing the same thing. But, pray tell me, since when does it matter what the brand name is on the tyrant’s sword? Are not our liberties just as dead?

But look at how our modern prophets have been treated. Alan Keyes has been forcibly removed from debate platforms, only to be released in remote, crime infested neighborhoods at night by Republican Party operatives. Roy Moore was lampooned and utterly destroyed by Republican Party operatives (including those within George W. Bush’s White House) in his attempt to become Alabama’s governor. And, in his recent Presidential campaign, Ron Paul has been subjected to the most insidious attacks by Republican Party operatives that I have ever witnessed.

Regardless of how the Republican Party has compromised, capitulated, and castrated genuine conservative principles, conservatives–including Christian conservatives–continue to refer to the GOP as “God’s Own Party,” and other such nonsense. In fact, the current lapdog performance of modern conservatives to the candidacy of John McCain demonstrates just how far down the road of destruction they will go in order to grovel before the Republican Party.

National Right to Life even had the gall to say that it is “grateful” for John McCain’s “strong pro-life” record. What balderdash! McCain has repeatedly voted to spend Title X tax dollars to underwrite the nation’s largest abortion provider, Planned Parenthood. He publicly supports killing unborn babies conceived via rape or incest. And he continues to lie to the American people about killing babies “to save the life of the mother,” which almost any OB/GYN doctor will tell you almost NEVER occurs. According to the OB/GYN physicians that I have spoken to, the only pregnancies that pose a legitimate health risk to the mother are those where the unborn baby has already perished.

How can National Right to Life–an organization that once vociferously opposed Senator McCain–now compromise the life issue in such an egregious manner and support the corrupt candidacy of John McCain? I’ll tell you how: NRL is bought and paid for by Republican donors. And that is the problem with the vast majority of our “conservative” organizations today. As the old saying goes, “He who pays the piper calls the tune.”

In fact, I will say it straight out: there is no hope for America within today’s conservative–even Christian conservative–movement. None. Zero. Zilch.

The closest movement to reclaiming America’s freedom and independence was the recent Presidential campaign of Congressman Ron Paul. With Congressman Paul effectively neutered and neutralized (by a hostile media and mercenary Republican hierarchy), the only hope is in America’s churches and a burgeoning independent movement.

I only wish I could expect today’s pastors and churches to stand in the gap for our nation. They have the power to thwart the forces of globalism, corporatism, elitism, and liberalism that are destroying America. So far, however, this has been nothing but wishful fantasy. Most of our beloved Christian leaders are as beholden to the same Republican donors as are the previously mentioned conservative organizations. And just as impotent.

That leaves The Constitution Party as the only political party with the courage and convictions to set the ship of state aright. With someone such as Judge Roy Moore at the helm, true Christians and constitutionalists would at least have an opportunity to vote for someone in November without being forced to hold their noses and surrender their principles.

After attending numerous meetings of conservative activists, I am more convinced than ever that, ultimately, the survival of liberty in America does not depend upon political parties, special interest groups, or corporations. In these United States of America, God has put the destiny of the country squarely in the hands of “We the people.” It will not be conservatives or liberals, Republicans or Democrats, Christians or unbelievers that restore America. It will be individuals from all walks of life, all backgrounds, and all political persuasions who love liberty enough to fight to maintain it. Ultimately, of course, all nations–just like all individuals–must give an account to our Creator for how we protected the freedoms and liberties that He gave us. Right now, we are not doing a very good job.

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© Chuck Baldwin

Chuck Baldwin is Founder-Pastor of Crossroads Baptist Church in Pensacola, Florida. Dr. Baldwin is also the host of a lively, hard-hitting syndicated radio talk show “Chuck Baldwin Live” and was the Constitution Party vice-presidential nominee in 2004.

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