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Quincy Tea Party
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To send a letter e-mail: info@qcyteaparty.com |
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To The Herald-Whig, In January 1961, John Kennedy inquired, not rhetorically: "Ask not what your country can do for you, ask what you can do for your country." My, how things have changed in one generation. Now it's always all about me, me, me, and asking what can I get for my vote? When and how did we become such a nation of selfish moochers? What happened to the values of The Greatest Generation, who sacrificed so much for our nation and for us? Are they not completely ashamed of what we have become? Since its founding, this nation has always been the most benevolent of any on the planet, and we take care of our own in better fashion than anyone else. But, it has become too easy to take advantage of the system; to go after whatever goodies we can get our hands on. People make misleading claims and give false information all the time to get freebies from this or that program - just because they can. The mentality seems to be that if you can get away with it, it must be OK. How shameful. And how EXPENSIVE that has become! It can sometimes be hard to connect the dots, but not if we keep in mind that NOTHING is really, truly free. Somehow, someone is paying for it. Think of the behavior of the shop-lifter. They could say that what they took was free, and they'd be correct, for them. But someone - we - are paying for what they stole. When people mislead to collect entitlements, or when they mis-state information on applications to get more freebies just because they can, WE are paying for that. The widely held idea that if we get it from the government, it must be free is simply adolescent ignorance. Someone is paying for it. When we vote for someone just because of what that person promises to do or get for us, are we not just prostituting our vote? People died for the right that we dismiss so easily, and for us to sell out to the highest bidder is nothing short of shameful. Instead of always selfishly voting based on how it will best benefit ourselves - personally - perhaps we could consider voting for what is actually best for our nation, long term? What is best for the country? In other words, vote "we," not "me." Thank you! Daniel P. Musholt Quincy, IL |
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To the Herald-Whig, As expected, the latest installment from the anti-gun fear-mongers is to cite the shooting in New York last week to make a fractured case for taking away legally owned firearms. It’s ironic, but not insignificant, to note that the worst shootings always take place in so-called gun free zones. It is irresponsible to claim that disarming law abiding citizens will somehow reduce violent crime. It’s also untrue. All statistics over the last 20 years prove otherwise. If a disturbed person is intent on doing harm to others, why in the world would they be the least bit concerned that the method they employ is prohibited? The anti-firearm crowd continues to beat the drum of taking guns away from law-abiding citizens, without any whiff of logic, evidence, or historical basis in fact. None. It’s all about what feels like the right thing to do. Except for one thing. Knee-jerk responses and emotional reactions always have disastrous, over-reaching, misapplied results. The problem with Mr. Messina’s proposal for allowing private gun ownership only for “legitimate purpose” is that the inevitable add-on will be his liberal champions then wanting to define for the rest of us what legitimate is. John Kennedy even understood the reasons for civilians owning firearms, and it is NOT for hunting. That’s NOT what the Framer’s wanted, and Mr. Messina knows it. Likewise, it is not just for self-defense. It is to keep government in check by the clear understanding that the people have the final means to enforce their will upon that government if called to do so, not the other way around. The anti-firearms crowd continues to conveniently ignore history, and the fact that disarming civilian populations was how most, if not all dictators in history came to power. I am tired of the liberals rewriting history and what the Founders intended, to suit their progressive purposes. I am sick of liberals thinking they know what is best for me and my family to do, to be, to eat and drink, to drive and to watch. If you choose to not defend your family, then don’t, but STOP telling me what I should do. Go mind your own business. Situational adherence to the rules equals no adherence. You can’t pick and choose which rights you wish to limit to satisfy the meek and weak of character, or ALL of them will be limited, eventually. Daniel P. Musholt Quincy, IL 8/31/2012
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To the Herald-Whig, Last month, the Supreme Court rewrote and contorted, and then upheld Barack Obama’s Socialist “Health Care Control, Vote Buying, and Tax Increasing Legislation” on the grounds that Congress has Constitutional authority to TAX, in spite of his own constant hollow claims that it WASN’T a tax. However, the court’s only saving grace was that it upheld that the individual mandate was NOT allowable under the Constitution's Commerce Clause. This individual of questionable legitimacy, who occupies OUR White House, can say whatever he wants and liberal minions will believe him. No amount of persuasive facts, logical reasoning, independent data, nor irrefutable evidence will give them enough strength and courage to admit they were duped. That just won’t happen. Some people are simply incapable of acknowledging they made a huge mistake. Barack Obama is that same kind of person, as evidenced by the fact that he refuses to take any responsibility for his failed leadership, and continues to blame George Bush after almost four full years in the job. He therefore attracts those kinds of people as his followers - acolytes, if you will - that will trudge along behind him as he marches them blindly off a cliff into the bottomless Marxist void below. Many on the left will attempt to distort the facts, as usual, by pointing at Mitt Romney’s days as governor of Massachusetts, and his state wide health care insurance plan. One very significant difference is always conveniently ignored, and intentionally not reported by the media. That is, the plan in Massachusetts was NEVER a federal program. Constitutionally, that is a HUGE difference, because state’s rights were supposed to trump the federal government’s authority, not the reverse. Now that SCOTUS has ruled on that question and enabled this tyranny, it is up to us, the voters to make sure it’s corrected. The idea that a government - supposedly of, by, and for the people - can at the same time individually punish someone for NOT doing something; that’s treacherous. We have seen this before, some 236 years ago, when some brave colonists had to smack down King George, and let him know that the people wouldn’t tolerate being treated like subjects any more. We are not a monarchy, and the majority of Americans oppose this law – by about 3 to 1 at last count. We must be heard, so vote HARD in November. Thank you. Daniel P. Musholt Quincy, IL
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To the Editor Re: Immigration “Reform” The recent Executive Order by President Barack Obama has left me scratching my head! I firmly believe he acted on this only in order to secure the Latino vote, because he realizes that his reelection campaign is in trouble! I am a LEGAL immigrant who has been here for 40 years. I came here simply to live with the man I had fallen in love with when he was stationed in my home town in Germany. It was NOT easy for me to gain entrance into the US, and I believe it should not be easy to come here, and even should be harder to become a citizen. I had to wait three years before I could even apply, then had to take classes in US government, history and other subjects, had a comprehensive background check (complete with finger prints), was tested to prove that I knew enough of the language to be understood and understand people, had to have witnesses for every place I lived for three months, etc. I have no problem with that, but if this recent decision by President Obama was not of political nature, I guess I don’t know anything about how this country works! How would you feel if you came home to find a stranger sitting in your living room, eating your food, enjoying the air conditioning on these hot days? Just because he is already here, will you allow him to stay, bring his family in, hire him and his folks to assure he has a paying job? No, of course not! He broke into your house, and you are calling the police! We do need comprehensive immigration reform, because, obviously, the laws we have on the books are either not enforced or are not working, but in order to get real reform, we need to close the borders! Once the borders are secured, we can start working on immigration reform! Yes, this is a nation of immigrants – but it is also a law abiding nation, so lets abide by the laws we already have, and if we don’t like some of them, lets change them the legal way, not by executive decision! Mechtild M. Kosin |
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To the Herald-Whig, Sunday's paper had a lengthy article regarding the school board's recent courageous decision to be responsible stewards of the public money and NOT go into the business of making a profit from federal grants under the ruse of providing lunches to all kids in school. We don't often have the opportunity, but I applaud their decision to let this proposal die. The article had several quotes from one Quincy resident who was wholly opposed to the board’s decision, and not one from any private citizens who supported it. That individual’s opinion notwithstanding, it absolutely IS about whether something can be afforded or not. The claim that it is “free” is ridiculous, and is perfectly indicative of the reasons why the city, the state and the federal government are in the atrocious fiscal condition they are. Free to one does not mean free to everyone – SOMEONE has to pay the tab. So few of our elected officials have had the guts to say no in the past; that's why bankruptcy is such a very real possibility for so many entities. It’s difficult to understand what part of “stop the overspending” some people just cannot grasp. If we do not have the money, we DO NOT HAVE THE MONEY. In another recent letter to the editor, we were shared a quotation from Dietrich Bonhoeffer, referencing the morality of a society being measured by how it treats the children, and chastising the school board for their decision. The implication was that by not providing lunches at no charge to every child, we are somehow mistreating the next generation. That’s just silly, and yet interestingly, there was no mention of how we are mistreating our children by continually writing checks that THEY will have to cover. In reality, it is more of a no-brainer to NOT spend money we do not have, because ultimately, the kids who we are supposedly benefitting are going to end up paying the tab for our lack of ability to say no to ever increasing entitlements and giveaways. It is irresponsible to spend money we do not have, expecting someone else to pay the tab, and this issue of providing (not really) free lunches to every single kid is no different. In this case, the school board did the adult thing, and the responsible thing. We should support them when they do so. Thank you. Daniel P. Musholt Quincy, IL 6/18/2012 |
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To The Herald-Whig, There is no having it both ways in life. There are always decisions - choices that must be made between competing priorities and limited capabilities and resources. Having it all is what you think is possible when you are a child; but as adults, we should know better. We are supposed to know that it's not possible to get something for nothing, unless the nothing includes someone else paying the bill. In our country, one major choice always has to do with security versus liberty. Some people want the security of never having to lose a job, or never having to say no to their kids, or to be forced to sacrifice the short term desire in order to achieve the long term objective. But they don’t want to give anything up for that security, because they think it’s a “right” to get it all. The reality of being a responsible adult is knowing that is not possible, and that you must give something up. What we’ve been doing for over 70 years is sacrificing our freedoms for the short term desire for material security. The government gives only when it can take something else in return, and we give up more of our freedoms whenever the government “solves” a problem for us. When our government starts to intrude on how we raise our kids, what we put in their lunch box, and whether they are allowed to do chores or work on the family farm, the government has gone too far. We are giving up too much freedom in exchange for the short term security of having our immediate desires provided for us. That is not what the government should be involved in and that is why our government is too expensive for us to afford anymore. There are those who think the “rich” should pay more, but if we were to tax the wealthiest 10% at 100% - meaning you took everything they had - we would STILL not have enough to pay what this government costs. Besides, the “wealthy” are the job creators in this country, contrary to what the media promotes. We simply MUST shrink our government and leave our kids something that they can afford to maintain. As it is, our nation is quickly going bankrupt. We may no longer have a free country for our kids to inherit. Daniel P. Musholt Quincy |
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Voting in the last primary brought back some childhood memories of going to the polls with Mom and Dad. Going as a family was commonplace then, just like going to church. That’s how I knew it was special. I remember my first time to vote. I went to the polling place, armed with my driver’s license and my voter’s registration. I remember wondering if I needed my birth certificate and how I would get a copy if they asked for it. I was very proud that day, as I presented my documents. I really don’t remember anyone telling me I didn’t need them, but, somehow, I got the message that it wasn’t necessary. I was puzzled and strangely disillusioned because of this. All these years later, I still feel the same way. I have to show my photo ID to cash a check or use my credit card; get on a plane; or renew my driver’s license. I take Claritin D for allergies and I need to show an ID to buy that. Showing a photo ID is just accepted as a part of life in our country. And, yet, in order to participate in our country’s most important privilege, we don’t need to prove our identity? I believe presenting a photo ID and valid voter’s registration card would be a great safeguard to honest voting; and it should be a prerequisite to entering the voting booth. Tara August
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The White House 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue Washington , DC 20500 Mr. Obama: I have had it with you and your administration, sir. Your conduct on your recent trip overseas has convinced me that you are not an adequate representative of the United States of America collectively or of me personally. You are so obsessed with appeasing the Europeans and the Muslim world that you have abdicated the responsibilities of the President of the United States of America .. You are responsible to the citizens of the United States. You are not responsible to the peoples of any other country on earth. I personally resent that you go around the world apologizing for the United States telling Europeans that we are arrogant and do not care about their status in the world. Sir, what do you think the First World War and the Second World War were all about if not the consideration of the peoples of Europe ? Are you brain dead? What do you think the Marshall Plan was all about? Do you not understand or know the history of the 20th century? Where do you get off telling a Muslim country that the United States does not consider itself a Christian country? Have you not read the Declaration of Independence or the Constitution of the United States? This country was founded on Judeo-Christian ethics and the principles governing this country, at least until you came along, come directly from this heritage. Do you not understand this? Your bowing to the king of Saudi Arabia is an affront to all Americans. Our President does not bow down to anyone, let alone the king of Saudi Arabia . You didn't show Great Britain, our best and one of our oldest allies, the respect they deserve yet you bow down to the king of Saudi Arabia. How dare you, sir! How dare you! You can't find the time to visit the graves of our greatest generation because you don't want to offend the Germans but make time to visit a mosque in Turkey. You offended our dead and every veteran when you give the Germans more respect than the people who saved the German people from themselves. What's the matter with you? I am convinced that you and the members of your administration have the historical and intellectual depth of a mud puddle and should be ashamed of yourselves, all of you. You are so self-righteously offended by the big bankers and the American automobile manufacturers yet do nothing about the real thieves in this situation, Mr. Dodd, Mr. Frank, Franklin Raines, Jamie Gorelic, the Fannie Mae bonuses, and the Freddie Mac bonuses. What do you intend to do about them? Anything? I seriously doubt it. What about the U.S. House members passing out $9.1 million in bonuses to their staff members on top of the $2.5 million in automatic pay raises that lawmakers gave themselves? I understand the average House aide got a 17% bonus. I took a 5% cut in my pay to save jobs with my employer. You haven't said anything about that. Who authorized that? I surely didn't! Executives at Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac will be receiving $210 million in bonuses over an eighteen-month period, that's $45 million more than the AIG bonuses. In fact, Fannie and Freddie executives have already been awarded $51 million not a bad take. Who authorized that and why haven't you expressed your outrage at this group who are largely responsible for the economic mess we have right now? I resent that you take me and my fellow citizens as brain-dead and not caring about what you idiots do. We are watching what you are doing and we are getting increasingly fed up with all of you. I also want you to know that I personally find just about everything you do and say to be offensive to every one of my sensibilities. I promise you that I will work tirelessly to see that you do not get a chance to spend two terms destroying my beautiful country. Sincerely, Ms Kathleen Lyday Fourth Grade Teacher Grandview Elementary School Hillsboro , MO 63050 |
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To the editor of Naples News;
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Everyone now knows that Pike County's referendum on constitutional carry passed in overwhelming fashion. To his credit, Sheriff Petty quickly reminded the civilian population in Pike County that the state of Illinois still prohibits us from exercising our right to self-defense, even though our Constitution describes that inalienable right very clearly. That contradicts home rule, which allows local entities to allow or restrict certain behaviors within their local jurisdiction. Therefore, due to home rule, residents of Pike County still cannot carry a firearm for self-defense, in spite of their overwhelming desire to do so. By a very strange legal contortion and manipulation, home rule was claimed when Chicago wanted to ban handguns in the city. Luckily that was struck down, so the city is trying other underhanded means to accomplish the same end, the disarming of legal firearms owners wishing to retain the ability to defend themselves. Chicago is now requiring a special permit to own a handgun - to only be granted after extensive and costly training at a range. Then the city eliminated all ranges that could provide that training. Interesting way (but typical for Chicago) to sneak around complying with the court’s ruling. Home rule was also Speaker Mike Madigan’s excuse for requiring a super-majority for passage of the Concealed Carry Permit legislation, which only lost by a few votes a year ago. So why the double standard, even when very similar questions are being discussed? The answer is that Madigan will use it when he wants, and disregard it when he doesn’t. In Springfield, Madigan and Senate President John Cullerton control the agenda, and are in those positions ONLY by virtue of the votes of the members of their respective chambers. Our own Senator John Sullivan passively supports the effort to allow concealed carry in Illinois, but he won’t contradict the leadership from Chicago. Sullivan willingly admits he raises campaign funds in Chicago, and he seems to rarely visit Quincy any more. In the initial session after the election in November, the first vote will be for the leaders of the House and Senate. If we hope to ever get concealed carry in Illinois, we cannot send someone to Springfield that will vote Chicago thugs into the positions that control the agenda and make all the rules. We will never overcome the votes against concealed carry coming from Chicago. Daniel P. Musholt Quincy, IL 4/5/2012
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Supreme Court Justice Elena Kagan MUST recuse herself from the bench during the hearings on the Constitutionality of ObamaCare next Spring. According to The Judicial Crisis Network, Kagan was officially engaged in the strategy to defend ObamaCare in court ³before [ObamaCare] had even been signed into law.² In other words, Kagan was an advocate for ObamaCare even before the corruptly purchased votes in favor were cast. Documents now prove Kagan was involved in the ³deliberative process² with an eye toward the potential legal defense of ObamaCare. By definition, this means she has knowledge of information (i.e. the Administration¹s deliberative process) which is protected from scrutiny, and therefore the other Supreme Court justices may very likely never be allowed to hear or see! Just hours before the final ObamaCare vote, Kagan responded to an email from a colleague that had the subject line, ³fingers and toes crossed today.² The email was clearly about the pending ObamaCare vote and expressed her sheer joy that the passage was imminent, albeit tarnished, as we now know, by votes that were bought with giveaways and special breaks and allowances (and a couple thousand waivers granted to date, as well). Federal law (28 U.S.C. 455) clearly spells out the grounds for judges to disqualify themselves in cases, including if the judge¹s ³impartiality might reasonably be questioned² or if the judge served in federal office as ³counsel² or ³adviser² or ³expressed an opinion² on a matter. Additionally, Kagan and Obama hid the details of her ObamaCare advocacy during her confirmation hearings, and the facts have only become known recently, after numerous FOIA requests. Kagan has recused herself from hearing dozens of cases already in her short tenure on the bench, so lack of precedent is no argument. However, regarding this case, Obama¹s hand-picked advocate and contributor to the pre-emptive defense of the legislation is refusing to appropriately step aside. How typical, coming from this bunch. The members of this administration are crossing the line once again, and we cannot allow them to continue to treat the office and our country as their own personal laboratory for social re-engineering. Our outcry against these people should be deafening, to show them we are not simple pawns in their plan to turn our great and free nation into The Soviet Union Redux. Daniel P. Musholt - originally published 12/2011
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Working Cash Bond
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Working Cash Bond In opposition to the working cash bonds for the Quincy Public Schools, I note the following: 1. The tax rate for our house for 1983 was 2.82544, while for 2010 the rate was 4.03502. At no time during those years did the voters of the district approve a rate increase. The rate was increased by the board members then in office. 2. Mr. Martin, the Business Manager, said in a public meeting on March 6 that the board intends to keep the tax rate at the 4.03502 level whether the working cash bonds are approved or not. 3. Voters should not expect to see any decrease in the tax rate. 4. The school district needs to eliminate the $4 million line of credit. Understandable, laudable. I could support that. 5. The extra $2.2 million which the working cash bond issue would provide could be spent however the board chooses to spend it, without any voter approval. That seems to be quite similar to giving an addicted person free access to his addictive substance. Such a thing certainly is NOT understandable nor praiseworthy. 6. The current board has taken the first steps toward a deficit reduction program. That would be laudable if they had done so voluntarily and had not been required to do so by the State Board of Education. 7. The board members and Mr. Martin ask us to trust them. I may be willing to do so if and when they have successfully completed the three year deficit reduction program. 8. We are asked to "be for the children." I am for the children. I am for them learning to live with their means. I am for them learning to realize that they cannot always have everything they want just because they want it. And I am for the members of the board to learn these very same essential life lessons. Rev. Larry D. Troxel Quincy |
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2nd Amendment Anyone who owns a firearm; for hunting, self-defense, or simply because it was your great-grandad’s musket and a family heirloom that’s now been handed down, you need to be concerned about what will happen if Barack Obama gets elected to a second term. Look at what was attempted during the current term, even though he had to be cautious about possibly paying for those sins this November. If he is unencumbered by ever having to be accountable to the voters again, his assault on your basic human and civil rights will become relentless – literally as if on steroids. Obama’s protégé in Chicago - with under a year on the job - has already initiated a proposal for a state-wide handgun registry in Illinois. Those who know history recall that the nationwide registration of firearms was one of the very first actions by Adolph Hitler. What soon followed was nationwide confiscation of those same weapons, because through the process of registration, the government knew which doors to kick in and search behind. The citizens became sheep. Those who robotically repeat that it “will never happen here” should wake up and take a serious look at what has ALREADY happened here that we never thought would. And then man up and admit it. And then do something about it. All the usual discussion about the use of firearms for hunting and shooting sports aside, the right to defend yourself, your property, your family and loved ones from harm is one of the most basic privileges and responsibilities that God has bestowed upon you. We need to take it seriously, and we need to pay attention to what is happening all around us. The same could be said regarding your freedom of expression and your freedom of worship. The assault on your liberties will be greatly accelerated if there is a second term for Barack Obama. There is a word that describes what he is attempting to accomplish. It is called Socialism. Our grandparents fought and many died to combat Socialism around the globe. Are we really going to throw open the door and invite it in? DO NOT stand idly by, as if you were simply a spectator, while this tragedy is forced upon your kids and grandkids. If we let this happen, if we don’t do whatever is humanly possible to prevent it, shame on us. Daniel Musholt Quincy 3/15/2012 |
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QPSD#172 Working Cash Bond Issue I have attended meetings regarding the Quincy School Board’s 6.2 million in working cash bonds and have found them to be complicated and confusing. Whether or not you agree with issuing the bonds, keep in mind that a handful of dedicated individuals worked diligently in frigid weather to obtain signatures in order to put this on the ballot so that taxpayers would have the opportunity to decide. If your decision is based on information coming from the Sunday, March 11 edition of the Quincy Herald-Whig, you may have a distorted view of the topic. First, Mr. Bud Martin, business manager, states that these cash bonds won’t have an affect on the taxpayer. How can this be? Has anybody ever loaned you money, without expecting to be repaid? If you weren’t sure of our local paper’s position after three pages of biased information, you can turn to page 2C and get the official opinion of the Herald-Whig in an article entitled “ Vote ‘yes’ on School District working cash bond proposal”. Dear Quincy Herald Whig: Perhaps the reason your subscription sales are down is that people are turning to other venues, desiring both sides of the story. Tara August |
