Blog Archives - North Florida Writer

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: God Bless America

6/30/2017

Next Tuesday is the Fourth of July when we Americans celebrate the founding of our homeland, the United States of America, the greatest experiment in freedom ever experienced on earth. And it's appropriate that we also commemorate the Battle of Gettysburg at this time since both events witnessed the hand of God in the outcome. America has always been a special place and God's grace has been granted to us in innumerable ways, from the victory over the British in 1781 to the outcome of the awful struggle between father and son and brother against brother during the Civil War. Both sides in the latter case were Americans, but God's hand intervened to keep the Union together and rejoin the people of this land as they would later be involved in the continued struggle against tyranny and oppression of two great world wars and more.

So when some say there is no place for God in America, that America is great because of the intelligence of man alone, I must say balderdash. God is the final determinant in all things and He could have easily changed the outcomes of our past struggles, but He wisely allowed men to carry forth as they were want to do, but just nudging the outcome in a way that only He can do. Now others are entitled to whatever opinion they might have, but I for one, and millions with me, know in our hearts that the bounty we have been given and the generosity Americans have shown in support of good causes is all part of His plan for America. And when we maintain our allegiance to and faith in Him, America shines brightly. This just leads us to energetically say as a nation: GOD BLESS AMERICA, OUR HOME SWEET HOME.

He surely has blessed us, and on this upcoming special occasion as we celebrate the Declaration of Independence which began the struggle for freedom from the Crown and opened the door to the great American political experiment, surely we must return His blessings with our faith in Him and a life for Him. It's what He expects and it's what He demands. He deserves no less from a very fortunate people.

Dear Lord, We thank you for your guidance and grace in truly making America a modern day example of the Land of Milk and Honey. We also know that we have failed you in many ways, but we ask for your forgiveness and that you instill in us the love and devotion to you that is so richly deserved. And help us to keep the shining light of freedom lit for all the world to see and emulate. We ask in the name of Jesus Christ our Savior, who lived and died to forgive us for our sins, Amen.

Happy two hundred and forty-first birthday, America.

Components Needed by a Sovereign Nation: Borders, Language and Culture

6/30/2017

24/7, the horde kept coming across

For those of you who have paid attention, remember when the scene shown was common on America's Southern border? It wasn't long ago when hundreds and thousands of illegal immigrants were streaming across our border daily, demanding entry and financial support from a government that looked the other way as they cross. With laws on the books ignored, huge expenditures of resources were used to bring in people who had no intention of becoming assimilated into our society, more likely to demand that America change to meet their tastes. And that very factor is what began the "Trump Train", the campaign of Donald Trump for President of the United States as an agent to return sovereignty and the rule of law, not man, to the governance of this great land.

And while he has been stymied in many ways by opponents, he has also succeeded in many ways with a significant improvement to the economy and a large cut in the inflow of illegals who have become a serious drain on American resources. Meanwhile, deserving American citizens are sent to the back of the bus. And perhaps before continuing, it would be good to read the words of Teddy Roosevelt, spoken years after leaving the Presidency. Now Roosevelt was a Republican Progressive in the early days of the movement and there are many ways that this writer disagrees with his views, but on the issue of immigration, he was spot on. Here's what he had to say:

"In the first place we should insist that if the immigrant who comes here does in good faith become an American and assimilates himself to us, he shall be treated on an exact equality with every one else, for it is an outrage to discriminate against any such man because of creed or birthplace or origin. But this is predicated upon the man’s becoming in very fact an American and nothing but an American.

"If he tries to keep segregated with men of his own origin and separated from the rest of America, then he isn't doing his part as an American.

"We have room for but one flag, the American flag, and this excludes the red flag which symbolizes all wars against liberty and civilization just as much as it excludes any foreign flag of a nation to which we are hostile. We have room for but one language here and that is the English language, for we intend to see that the crucible turns our people out as Americans, and American nationality, and not as dwellers in a polyglot boarding house; and we have room for but one soul [sic] loyalty, and that is loyalty to the American people."
- Former President Teddy Roosevelt, 1919

If we pay attention to what the President is trying to do, not the hype but the reality of the situation we face, and couple that with those words so many years ago by the first President Roosevelt, the importance of border, language and culture being unified into one package is what makes the United States of America a sovereign and free country. The idea was to welcome those who want to become Americans, learn the language and work hard for themselves. And to do that they had to come legally, following our law and procedures. In doing so, the "melting pot" of different peoples with different cultures and languages takes their background and Americanizes it. That's what made America the land for those yearning to be free, not yearning for a welfare check or a ghetto where they isolated themselves from what is America.

America was created to be just that, America, not Baghdad on the Hudson, Latin America in Miami or Beijing on the plains. No, it was created to take the energy, vibrancy and hard work of many different people creating the uniqueness that is American culture and yes, even our version of the English language. Border, language, culture: these are the three components that are central to it. And that doesn't mean that families can't celebrate their heritage at home or have specialty shops that also allow them to share some of their culture's excellence and goodness with others, but it does mean that the land has to operated in a way where each of us can work live and work effectively in peace.

Modern day multi-culturalism as we've seen it develop is a disaster; it has created chaos, disunity and disharmony. Let's end the experience of breaking America into cultural zones and bring the nation back to what is real about America. That is secure borders, a common language and the unique American culture which was created by understanding her history, not a sanitized politically correct version. Truth in all that is done is always the best way.

The Repeal and Replace Fiasco: A Lobbyist's Delight

6/29/2017

So what are we going to do with Obamacare, the pie in the sky healthcare program which is unaffordable, offers bureaucratic answers to medical issues and, frankly, was designed to fail. We can already hear the clamor for single payer which will only make things worse and the level of care and expertise of doctors will decrease dramatically. That's because the best and the brightest in the business will leave the practice of medicine. Why? Because they want to practice medicine, not carry a rolling computer around as they are now required to do to record verbatim every word of your visit. And they certainly don't want some federal bureaucrat challenging everything they do after all of those years of training.

And you really can't blame the insurance companies either since they were largely given the okay by the feds to do what they do. After all, Obama didn't care, he was just using it as a ruse for his dream of nationalized medicine, a dream that progressives have had for over one hundred years. So the promised dream of a red tape oriented and exploding cost system is what the Democrat-only political supported program is what the Democrats gave us.

But what about the Republicans. After all, they promised to repeal and replace when all they've offered is a slight watering down of a bad product and many of their own members won't support it and with good reason. And what's really pathetic about the whole situation is that there are innovative ways to do things better, cheaper and with lasting results. No one should understand that better than Dr. Tom Price, the former Congressman from Georgia and now Secretary of Health and Human Services and also former physician for over twenty years.

Now we know that everyone needs catastrophic coverage for those high ticket situations such as a stroke, heart attack or major accident to name just a few examples. But when you must have a policy which includes those major factors with routine care and requires everyone to carry identical coverage, regardless of age or gender, then you definitely have a "pig in a poke". And as far as the day-to-day medical issues are concerned, things like physicals, broken bones, standard testing and pharmaceuticals, there is a much better way and it can be done affordably without insurance.

In an article in The Objective Standard, Ari Armstrong interviews Dr. Josh Umbehr, founder of AtlasMD, a family practice medical group in Wichita, Kansas. Dr. Umbehr has set up a practice where all of the routine medical situations can be handled at a one stop location for a low monthly cost. It's like retaining a doctor like you would a lawyer, and unless it is a condition or serious situation requiring a specialist or hospitalization, AtlasMD staff can handle the problem.

Think what a model like that could do to bring down insurance costs, relegating insurance for the traditional catastrophic situation. And Dr. Umbehr even provides prescription service and routine tests at a wholesale rate; you pay exactly what it costs him since he derives his income from your continuing monthly fee. Big discounts are available for children, and even the elderly get a reasonable rate despite that age group usually having the highest use of medical care.

The interview is fascinating and I hope everyone, liberal or conservative alike, will read it. It offers a new way to deal with healthcare, a way that centers on patient-doctor relationships and saves money. And I guess the only reason the Congress won't consider this is because it takes government out of the power role and gives the individual a much better chance to control his or her own destiny. We must change that, America, or real healthcare will be destroyed.

Here's the link to the story and interview:

https://www.theobjectivestandard.com/issues/2013-fall/dr-josh-umbehr-on-concierge-medicine-revolution/

Are the Winds of Russiagate Changing?

6/28/2017

Maybe this is NSAGATE!

For nearly a year we've been hearing all the stories about how Donald Trump or at least members of his Administration have been currying favor with Russia. The Left has tried to turn it into a major scandal which in reality has been more of a "witchhunt". It's been a non-stop charade of pushing rumors and heresay, with lots of stories generated with nothing to back them up. It's usually a "they say" or "there's a document floating around but nobody has a copy" or a media type saying what he thinks with a smirk but with nothing but hot air behind it.

But now at long last, Americans are becoming tired of the endless push by the media and their talking heads using "fluff" but no "stuff". And with some of the most recent evidence coming out, particularly now that leaks are coming from not only intelligence officials but also Special Counsel Robert Mueller's organization, the wind just very well might be turning.

A recent article in Forbes by Paul Roderick Gregory gives credence to this way of thinking and it shows that by appointing a Special Counsel, it will now be impossible for those who want to take down Trump to do so without opening themselves up to close scrutiny as well. If the public, which is already growing very skeptical, decides that something is rotten in our version of the State of Denmark, well, the investigation will have to be much wider for any determination to have validity. And this means that not only will he be able to look at the Trump Administration which has already been investigated to death, but he must also look at the entire Democratic apparatus, including the Hillary campaign, which pushed so hard for an investigation. And more and more evidence is mounting that they may be the very center of the problem,

With CNN finally being forced to admit that they carried a story that was FAKE NEWS on a Trump supporter supposedly dealing under the table with Russia, a very important video has surfaced. Project Veritas, the same group that exposed Acorn and Planned Parenthood and others, has CNN supervisory producer John Bonifield on tape saying that the Trump-Russia story has no legs to stand on. The video has gone viral and despite Jeff Zucker's claims that CNN is trusted, by now everyone understands that is false. In Bonifield's tape, he says that the only reason the Russiagate story continues is because Zucker directed it for ratings. You see, folks, the lesser informed love scandalous national stories and Zucker knows they'll just accept it at face value. While many don't, there is certainly a significant segment of viewers do, but the skeptical number overall is growing dramatically. Americans are fed up with this non-story.

There is much in the article to add to the drumbeat for change in direction, including information about former British M15 agent Christopher Steele and his infamous dossier on Trump which has ties to both anti-Trump Republicans initially and later Democratic operatives. Writer Gregory ends by surmising that if what he reports proves to be accurate and it most definitely is believable, then Trump's supposed Russiagate will in reality turn out to be a donnybrook of a Hillarygate.

Read it for yourself. The link follows. You may need to copy it into your browser. Remember, the truth is important and it will set you free.

https://www.forbes.com/sites/paulroderickgregory/2017/06/19/is-russiagate-really-hillarygate/#3093c4435cf6

SUNDAY MORNING COMING DOWN: God's Sign of the Covenant

6/24/2017

"I establish my covenant with you, that never again shall all flesh be cut off by the waters of the flood, and never again shall there be a flood to destroy the earth.” And God said, “This is the sign of the covenant that I make between me and you and every living creature that is with you, for all future generations: I have set my bow in the cloud, and it shall be a sign of the covenant between me and the earth. When I bring clouds over the earth and the bow is seen in the clouds, I will remember my covenant that is between me and you and every living creature of all flesh. And the waters shall never again become a flood to destroy all flesh."
- Genesis 9:11-15 (ESV)

Over the last ten days here in North Florida we have weathered some of the heaviest rainfall that we've seen in quite a while. We have been very thankful for the rain because it comes at the end of a lengthy drought (from mid-winter all the way through May) and the land was parched and extremely thirsty.

But when the heavens finally opened up on us, the view from many was that this was too much and too fast and the complaints began to mount. It's truly amazing how weak we humans can be when we face a little problem. Our memory is quite short and we so often expect God to give us exactly what we want, no more and no less. Some were even making comparisons to the story of Noah's Ark and wondering if we were facing forty days of rain.

But here's the thing. The rains that Noah and his family and all of his animal guests faced were so monumental and so devastating that the entire earth was flooded and all living things except Noah and his living crew were extinguished. As hard as it rained here and as concerned as some were becoming as some properties became isolated by water were "just a drop in the bucket" by comparison. Yes, we had some minor inconveniences and yes, many forgot how miserable it was a few days earlier in the dust, looking at the dead grass and dying plants and crops, but God carried out His plan. And He carried it out His way and there is nothing we can do about it but accept what he gives. We have to trust Him to do what is best for us, even when we think otherwise.

Florida is truly a land of feast and famine when it comes to the long periods of rain followed by drought, and it is incumbent upon us to understand how the climate traditionally operates in our part of the world and live accordingly. Perhaps one of the reasons He allows it to continue as it does is to show us just what He can do whenever He wants. And if we are only smart enough to accept it, then we will live as we should in this land that was, after all, created by Him.

And there's one last thing to remember. No matter how great the rain may become, it will never completely reach the point that Noah and his crew faced, for God gave us the rainbow as a sign of His covenant with us that all living things would never be destroyed by water. Now there may be floods and such, and there may be death, but it will never be the end of life, for that is what God promised. And much of which happen because of our bad choices for where and how we build our homes, for He gives us signs through the lay of the land and the weather of what to expect.

So remember whenever the next tropical system comes, or the next frontal system stalls nearby and it rains and rains and rains some more, it is just a situation that we must live with and accept and thank Him for the gifts that it brings. For now that it has ended, and the sun has started to dry up the excess, the beauty of the green grass and the blossoming plants is breathtaking and meant to be savored. And we owe it all to Him.

Dear Lord, We thank you for the natural gifts that you provide us. And while we don't always understand the why and the how that you deliver them, instill in us the ability to learn and discern from them what it is you expect of us and to respond accordingly. We pray in Jesus' name, Amen.

Hip, Hip, Hooray! It's Saturday!

6/24/2017

Once again, the day when we can be a little bit lazy and do all of the "stuff" that we've wanted to do is upon us. Saturday is a great time to relax, try to take the cares and troubles of each of us and the world off our shoulders for one day devoted to the things we can't do during the week. And if you follow it up with Sunday as a day to recharge your spiritual batteries and realize just how magnanimous God truly is, then you'll be much more capable to weather the storms to be faced in the new work week.

So, I've decided that going forward, all of my blogs on the weekends will be lighthearted or spiritual. Saturday will be light and Sunday will offer the Light, the Living Light that loves us no matter what we do. He only asks that we recognize Him and believe in Him and that will start a change in the way we act, the way we appear, and truly the way we are.

But on this Saturday, which finally brings with it bright sunshine to help dry the ground which is waterlogged, I thought I'd offer this little bit of an attempt at poetry to portray what I see Saturday as being all about. You can laugh, boo, or like as you wish but it does offer a bit of good advice if you think about it. So here goes:

It starts with the Saturday morning confusion,
So first be sure to have your coffee transfusion,
Then get your chores done and get ready for fun,
Be it sports, be it movies or the beach in the sun.

The long work week has finally come to an end,
And now at last we’ve turned the big bend,
To Saturday, that most wonderful, special day for you,
To do what you’ve been wanting so badly to do,

So Hip, Hip, Hurray, and now you can say,
Finally, I’m allowed to have it my way.
But keep it safe always and follow the Rule,
So Monday you’ll be alive to drop the kids off at school.

©James Dick, 2017: All rights Reserved

Enjoy the weekend and be safe out there.

It's Friday: Time for a Little MARGARITAVILLE Levity

6/23/2017

It's Friday and Margaritaville will be opening soon at a location near you. I have opted not to post my usual political blog today because we need some levity and humor this week. So I will refrain from all things serious on today's blog and post an original little poem that I dreamed up in my mind this morning. Now I'm no poet, but sometimes it's just fun to try and write something I don't normally do. It can also be found on my Facebook page and my Facebook Author page, but for those of you who just read my blog here goes:

THREE CHEERS TO TROPICAL BILLY

If you’re looking for fun and some drinks in the sun,
On Friday, our Margaritavilla day.
No one will be thinking, instead they’ll be clinking,
Their drinks in the swing and the sway.

Come see Tropical Billy, a place to be silly,
And get your trouble s out of the way.
Quaff a highball or two, or maybe a brew,
And maybe a burger served all the way.

Now some people say, that their visit this day,
Could cause them some grief and some worry.
For drinking too much can be great fun as such,
But could land you in jail in a hurry.

But Billy is smart, and he has a big heart,
So you’ll ne’er have to worry about danger.
‘Cause when you enter the door, and walk on the floor,
You’ll surrender the keys to your Ranger.

Or even a sports coupe, or a Town Car to boot,
Will require you turning keys in.
So have a real ball, bouncing off the wall,
While the barkeep’s still pouring the gin.

And when it’s time you must leave,
And you don’t want to go, because the silence at home you will dread.
Into a cab you they’ll heave and you’ll hardly believe,
When you wake up at home in your bed.

And you’ll constantly wonder, why your head feels like thunder,
And what the hell did you do to your rib.
But at least you’re alive, the Grim Reaper didn’t arrive,
And next week you’ll do the same thing again.

©James Dick, 2017: All rights reserved

And the moral of the story is: DON'T DRINK AND DRIVE. Have fun but be safe out there. YeeHaa!

Can Political Fiction Become Reality?

6/22/2017

Latest edition cover

A large number of Americans today are very worried about the state of our nation and the direction we are headed. No, I'm not talking about Donald Trump, I'm talking about the worry that America is beginning to no longer believe that honest work and honest toil are important and that a magnanimous Creator is not a part of our psyche as a nation. When we no longer are motivated to achieve and recognize the importance that Providence plays in our very well being, then the concepts of freedom and individualism could soon disappear.

These very concerns bring up a couple of questions about government that have been discussed before but never with such urgency. Is the government too big? And is the government too expensive? And in answering those two questions, the scene is set for a third question. Do we Americans understand that government is the only entity in our social construct that by law can take anything we have?

That last question, in a nutshell, is the reason for writing my book. Thou Shall Not Take Our Land, with its cover shown above. The message is important because government is truly the only entity that can take what you have legally, which means that it can use force to do so. Some might call that the "legal authority to steal", but I'll leave that consideration to each as an individual matter. But any entity that has this level of authority, when and if it becomes run by individuals who want power, money, and the perks that come with it, repeatedly has been shown to take what it wants. Thou Shall Not Take Our Land shows what can happen with that line of thought in one very important area, private property rights.

In the story set in the future year of 2033, John Argyle and his elderly dad find out that their local government has basically given the "keys to the local store" to higher authority. As a result, they begin to investigate why and what the ramifications will be. Their findings are soul wrenching and they begin to organize local citizens into a band of patriotic brothers and sisters to defend their land. In so doing, they also find that the actions being taken against them are also happening elsewhere in the country. The danger is much more than a local happening, its a national travesty as well. Volume 1 takes us up to and including the initiation of both verbal and physical struggle and the opening of the door for New World Order entry into the fray.

Now I'm not trying to suggest that the story that unfolds is something that is going to happen. None of us know what the political climate will be in 2033 but I suspect, like all things political, that centralized control will be more advanced than it is today. And this means that not only now, but always, good citizens need to be alert to the dangers of big government and what it means to them and all of our God-given constitutional rights. And your property rights are ones that are already under stress today and that stress will continue to grow.

My book is, of course, written partially for entertainment for readers who enjoy political intrigue and action, but it is also written to give an example of why good citizens must always be alert, question government actions and demand accountability of all officials, elected and otherwise. If not, the very rights we take for granted, including those important private property rights, could be under direct and continuing assault, not just from local government, but state and federal government and even through their linkage to the New World Order. We must stay alert and maintain a constant vigil for our way of life absolutely depends on it.

Here's the link to the online Amazon Kindle book. A print copy will be coming soon and Volume 2 should be on it's way later in the year. I hope you'll pick it up, enjoy it and use it to help keep focus on the issue. It's not one that is likely to go away.

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B06XBY7C4T

Republican Handel Runs His "Ossoff"

6/21/2017

Republican Karen Handel Wins GA-06

Another round of campaign spending by Left Coast Democrats has failed to sway a Congressional special election as Republican Karen Handel kept Georgia's 6th District seat in GOP hands yesterday. After all of the hype, the huge twenty three million dollars spent by Democrats, eight out of nine dollars of it coming from California, Handel still won by nearly four percent and now the Democrats have to explain to their donors why they once more can't win in a heavily targeted district.

Maybe they should look at what they stand for and who they select as their candidate for starters, for the voters clearly see through the smoke and dust and decide they don't Hollywood, LA and San Francisco telling them who to vote for. And Ossoff didn't even live in the district, was a novice with no platform, and on occasion even tried to align himself publicly with causes that no one in the district believed in. And then there was the vision of Nancy Pelosi with her bug eyes and speaking problems of late; Georgia just wasn't buying it.

So the district of Newt Gingrich and Tom Price will now be held by Karen Handel, the former Georgia Secretary of State and a Republican to the right of center but by no means of the Tea Party brand. She is steady, maybe not as conservative as some would like, but a good teammate in the war to stop the madness of the Left in the Nation's Capital which has clearly become unhinged. And the Democratic fundraisers will have to go hide in their closets while their fat cat donors are looking for them and an answer. But until they look at what they represent vis-a-vis what most Americans want, they'll never get it.

The Georgia District 6 election is just another example of why a party which owns only the large cities internally and little else is well on to no longer being a national party. And when the Commission which is currently studying illegal voting comes out with a report which will show why voters need identification and Americans finally demand an end to the violence of groups like Antifa and other such nonsense, look for the Democrats to continue to wallow in their own creation. Americans are looking to make America first, not another Venezuela.

So congratulations to Karen Handel and good luck working your way through the muck of the Swamp that is Washington. And oh, by the way, another special election yesterday to fill the seat vacated by now Budget Director Mick Mulvaney in South Carolina's District 5 also went to a Republican. Another good night of special elections is now over. Now Let's Make America Great Again.

The Supreme Court Issues a "Hail to the Redskins"

6/20/2017

I've been a fan of the Washington Redskins since I was a young lad growing up in Virginia. Back them, the Redskins and the Colts were the only two National Football League teams that were nearby and in Tidewater Virginia, the Redskins ruled the roost. And never in my wildest dreams back then would I consider their logo or their fight song with the "braves on the warpath" theme to be anything considered racist or disparaging. Actually, most of the local Indians in Eastern Virginia supported the Redskins, seeing the image of the team as representing strength and courage. But as liberalism, not the classic kind but the modern rendition, captured academia and our school systems, children were suddenly taught alien concepts that even their parents disapproved of and it began to assert itself on a nation that was woefully naive about progressivism. And, yes, it even impacted the Redskins.

And now, in the second decade of the twenty-first century in America, the country has gone amok and finally there are some signs of righting the ship. We lost our moral compass, we forgot about the importance of the truth, we substituted political manipulations for common sense and we put political correctness on a silver platter. And while the Washington Redskins were by no means the major concern as an outcome, they offer a great point about the stupidity of political correctness while also showing that fighting against it can be won when the right condition prevail.

So when the Supreme Court ruled that a trade mark law which could void the use of a disparaging name was in violation of the First Amendment, no group is more likely to benefit than the Washington Redskins. And while I'm no fan of Dan Snyder, team owner, and his management style, I'm glad he held fast to the use of the name, a proud tradition in Washington for more than a half century.

Ever since President Obama introduced the change in trade mark regulations, trying to force his desire for Snyder to change the team nickname, I've been calling the team just the Redskins, for the problem with the name in recent years has been located in the city which is represented, Washington. And for anyone to have such a shallow mind as to think that all American Indians were opposed to the nickname, they have both no clue and no common sense. But, then again, it's what liberals do. They take a stand on every conceivable issue, important to the nation or not, and just assume that they know what everyone else wants, never even taking the time to find out the truth.

So for all of my fellow Redskin fans I say with a hearty voice, "HAIL TO THE REDSKINS". And may a proud football team once and for all be left alone. They've got something else much more important to focus on. And what's that? Finding a way to be a big winner again. Let the boys in burgundy and gold get back to work. On you Sons of Washington!