If I were able and not working full time today, I would definitely be participating in the tax protests, or Tea Parties, that are occurring today. But since I am not, I am simply reading about it. I came across this article, which goes into some background on the planning that the Obama Administration is doing to deal with the protests around the nation, and especially in DC. Interestingly, the story has the following information from a document issued by the Administration to the Department of Homeland Security. Nevermind the threats of terrorism and Illegal Immigration, as it seems Homeland Security now has better things to focus on:
"The Obama administration clearly wishes the TEA protests weren't really happening, but it is certainly taking the threat of right-wing extremism seriously. (They call a protest like the Tea Parties 'extremism'? What? Its part of our history and a tool that Americans have the right to.) The Department of Homeland Security has produced a nine-page document warning of "right-wing extremist activity."
Radio host Roger Hedgecock and United Press International's sister publication The Washington Times were the first to report on the secret April 7 internal DHS report, which was tagged "advisory."
The report said issues such as illegal immigration and gun control are central points. However, it also claimed that the extreme right's anger was further fanned by the election of the United States' first African-American president.
"The economic downturn and the election of the first African-American president present unique drivers of right-wing radicalization and recruitment," the report said.
It is easy for someone like me to think, "well, I'm not an extremist", or "I don't consider myself 'right-wing'", or whatever. But it seems the Obama administration considers you all of the above if you "reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority" - Seriously, that's what the document says. Uhmm, have they ever read the Bill of Rights? What happened to the 10th Ammendment?
Don't Mess With Texas.
Of course, the one state that absolutely believes, and prides themselves in that belief, is already taking action. Here's what the article says the Texas Legislature is doing:
"The Washington Times reported that Homeland Security is now defining "right-wing extremism in the United States" as including not just racist or hate groups but also groups that reject federal authority in favor of state or local authority.
Does that include the government of the state of Texas? For the Lone Star State's Republican Gov. Rick Perry has thrown his support behind a state House of Representatives resolution reminding the federal government of the 10th Amendment regarding states' rights.
"Millions of Texans are tired of Washington, D.C., trying to come down here to tell us how to run Texas," Perry said.
House Concurrent Resolution 50 asserts some federal proposals are not within the scope of the federal government's constitutionally designated powers and impede the states' right to govern themselves. It also calls for all compulsory federal legislation that requires states to comply under threat of civil or criminal penalties, or that requires states to pass legislation or lose federal funding, be prohibited or repealed.
In normal times, this kind of talk would provoke national derision and a landslide rejection at the next election. Americans at least since the post-Civil War period have repeatedly confounded foreign observers by talking extremes in their politics and then voting in overwhelming numbers with remarkable moderation."
Go Texas!!! Is it any wonder the State of Texas has produced so many leaders on the national scale?
To me, such a federal policy to somehow make those who fight for state powers - or even the talks of such a policy - show that totalitarianism is brewing. It flies in the face of constitutionality. It creates centralized control. It creates unrestricted power. It does not tolerate parties of differing views. It seeks subordination of the states and citizens. It creates a governing elite, rather than a local power that can balance with the Union government.
I did a quick search on the Google Definitions tool to see what differing definitions would pull up, check them out: http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:totalitarianism&ei=h_3lSc6wNqGctgPFotmhBA&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title
To see the rest of the article, go here:
http://www.upi.com/news/issueoftheday/2009/04/15/Obama-faces-tax-protest-anger/UPI-45571239804861/
Tijs Limburg
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