In 1776 our founding fathers presented history with a new hypothesis. They said that men, free from the shackles of ruler-ship, free to forge their own destiny, and free to worship with impunity would build a society unlike any the world had known before. They abolished birthright; allowing each individual to succeed or, perhaps more importantly, fail based on their own ability.
When they finished crafting the basis of our country, Benjamin Franklin said they had established “a republic, if you can keep it.” Our founding fathers knew that a society of free people couldn’t be defeated from the outside. Only by throwing freedom away, making a fool’s bargain for meaningless trinkets or empty promises could we possibly fail.
Freedom can’t be bought, but it can be sold. When our founding fathers started the Great American Experiment, they knew that the only variable that mattered was the fortitude of we the people. Now, perhaps more than any time in the history of this nation, that fortitude is being tested. As Americans we have the freedom to make these decisions for ourselves. As conservatives we have a duty to remind our brothers and sisters what the true value of freedom is.
Twice American means first knowing the privilege of freedom and second knowing the cost of losing it for the world. America is the first and last hope for freedom that our world has ever seen; to give up freedom in America is to abolish freedom from humanity.
Our leaders in Washington have shown themselves to be unwilling or unable to keep our republic. We must elect leaders in November with the conviction and fortitude to cling firmly to the principles upon which this nation was founded. I am Twice American and I’m a conservative; I know how to “keep it.”
Thursday, April 29, 2010
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
Running on Repeal
America, brace for impact! The conservative tide is rising, and it’s no longer safe for shoreline politicians. A wave of repeal is rolling in, and the options are set sail and ride the tide or stay ashore to be swept away. Yet, there are two important questions regarding repeal: is it right, and is it enough?
Is it right? This is, perhaps, the most important question involving repeal, but the answer starts with a different question: Is the health-care overhaul wrong for America? Definitely. The overhaul bill addresses the rising cost of health care from the wrong angle. To reduce the cost of a product you must either increase supply or decrease demand, or both. The health care overhaul decreases supply with proposals to tax the companies and individuals who provide health care while subsequently scaling back their pay. These changes limit the ability of providers to offer health-care, reducing supply. At the same time, increasing the amount of insured people (whether they want it or not) and offering “free” preventative care will increase demand.
Economically, this bill stands to increase the cost of health care, not decrease it. Yet, economics aren’t the only negative aspect of this bill. This bill strikes at one of the very core tenets of our nation: liberty. For the first time in history, the government will require by law that all citizens purchase a product from a private company. This government control over private industry is a concept which, as a nation, we have been at war with for half a century or more.
Clearly, repeal is the correct goal. The bill does the opposite of its stated intention by implementing changes that will increase the cost of health care. The bill goes against fundamental aspects of America. So, is repeal enough? The short answer is no.
Repeal of this bill is a call to something far greater in America: the repeal of big government. Government has grown beyond the intentions of our founding fathers, and we the people must rein it in. We the people must get a grip on government, and it starts with this bill. Twice American is first remembering what made us great, and then steering the ship back in the right direction.
We are all Twice American; first by right, then by choice as we commit to live by the American spirit. I am Twice American; I know the truth of American prosperity. I believe in life, liberty, and our right to pursue happiness. Help me in November to renew the Great American Experiment. We the people will remind the world what true freedom looks like.
Is it right? This is, perhaps, the most important question involving repeal, but the answer starts with a different question: Is the health-care overhaul wrong for America? Definitely. The overhaul bill addresses the rising cost of health care from the wrong angle. To reduce the cost of a product you must either increase supply or decrease demand, or both. The health care overhaul decreases supply with proposals to tax the companies and individuals who provide health care while subsequently scaling back their pay. These changes limit the ability of providers to offer health-care, reducing supply. At the same time, increasing the amount of insured people (whether they want it or not) and offering “free” preventative care will increase demand.
Economically, this bill stands to increase the cost of health care, not decrease it. Yet, economics aren’t the only negative aspect of this bill. This bill strikes at one of the very core tenets of our nation: liberty. For the first time in history, the government will require by law that all citizens purchase a product from a private company. This government control over private industry is a concept which, as a nation, we have been at war with for half a century or more.
Clearly, repeal is the correct goal. The bill does the opposite of its stated intention by implementing changes that will increase the cost of health care. The bill goes against fundamental aspects of America. So, is repeal enough? The short answer is no.
Repeal of this bill is a call to something far greater in America: the repeal of big government. Government has grown beyond the intentions of our founding fathers, and we the people must rein it in. We the people must get a grip on government, and it starts with this bill. Twice American is first remembering what made us great, and then steering the ship back in the right direction.
We are all Twice American; first by right, then by choice as we commit to live by the American spirit. I am Twice American; I know the truth of American prosperity. I believe in life, liberty, and our right to pursue happiness. Help me in November to renew the Great American Experiment. We the people will remind the world what true freedom looks like.
Thursday, April 15, 2010
Will a real conservative please step forward?
Congressman Collin Peterson would have his constituents believe he is a “moderate” who is not beholden to the hard left leadership currently running the Democratic Party in Washington, D.C. But in the end, Representative Peterson has been loyal to Nancy Pelosi and President Obama.
Collin Peterson voted against the health care bill. However, do we know what he would have done had he been the deciding vote? No we don’t. But he gave us some indication in a recent speech to the DFL faithful when he said, "This election now I think is going to center to a large part on repealing the health care bill. That's going to be the mantra. That's going to be what people are out there talking about in this election...I am not going to be part of it." The American people disagree. They want the health care legislation repealed.
Why repeal? As Americans we don’t like to settle for second best solutions. We aspire to win, to create improvements that are second to none, to engage in open dialog, and to feel proud that the process was not tainted by the ideology that the “ends justifies the means”. Do we not think that bi-partisan dialog is essential for complex issues to become solutions that can survive the test of time?
Representative Peterson recognized the predicament with the health care bill, yet wanted it two ways. He saw the political danger in voting for a bill that was opposed by most of his constituents. But he will not work with those who want to repeal it. The vote seems to be a politically expedient vote, knowing he could probably get by doing penance in front of his hard left supporters.
In that same speech, Peterson discussed the fiscal crisis facing our country. Is not the Tea Party movement a reflection of the failing grade assessed on career politicians who for years have neglected to guide our nation into financial solvency? Referring to America’s dire financial situation Peterson said, “But this has got to be addressed. We have Moody’s rating service talking about downgrading from AAA to AA the bonds of the United States of America. I never thought in my lifetime that I would hear of anything like that. We have people talking in the Financial Times about the United States of America becoming the next Greece.” It is certainly about time that Representative Peterson and others of our leaders take our national debt seriously – which is approaching about $13 trillion or about $40,000 per individual. Unfortunately this new attention is too little too late as we have lost faith in many of our current career politicians.
Collin Peterson has spent the last 18 years in the United States Congress. Perhaps there was a time when the country could tolerate elected officials who would move from side to side. Perhaps there was a time when Americans could prosper in spite of politicians whose votes were dictated by working the middle between their constituency and their radical base. America is at a cross-road and is currently directed by the radical left. To regain the American idea, we need now new leadership anchored on principal limited government solutions.
This country has spent its way into a financial hole that we will not dig out of without elected officials who are committed to cutting the budget, reducing America’s national debt, and living within our means. I, Lee Byberg, will be that kind of elected official. As a nation, state and district, it is indeed time for the people to elect new leaders who will take on the difficult choices required to return our system to a limited government as specified by our Constitution.
During Peterson’s 18 years in Congress, his Party has promoted spending and taxation for every cause imaginable. Peterson and his friends have not considered the hard working, tax paying Americans who pay Washington’s bills. A token vote for restraint here and there does not make up for voting with Nancy Pelosi over 93% of the time. It is time to send someone to Congress who will stand for the traditional American values of individual freedom and responsibility, fiscal restraint, free enterprise, and efficient use of tax dollars.
I ask for your vote November 2nd.
Collin Peterson voted against the health care bill. However, do we know what he would have done had he been the deciding vote? No we don’t. But he gave us some indication in a recent speech to the DFL faithful when he said, "This election now I think is going to center to a large part on repealing the health care bill. That's going to be the mantra. That's going to be what people are out there talking about in this election...I am not going to be part of it." The American people disagree. They want the health care legislation repealed.
Why repeal? As Americans we don’t like to settle for second best solutions. We aspire to win, to create improvements that are second to none, to engage in open dialog, and to feel proud that the process was not tainted by the ideology that the “ends justifies the means”. Do we not think that bi-partisan dialog is essential for complex issues to become solutions that can survive the test of time?
Representative Peterson recognized the predicament with the health care bill, yet wanted it two ways. He saw the political danger in voting for a bill that was opposed by most of his constituents. But he will not work with those who want to repeal it. The vote seems to be a politically expedient vote, knowing he could probably get by doing penance in front of his hard left supporters.
In that same speech, Peterson discussed the fiscal crisis facing our country. Is not the Tea Party movement a reflection of the failing grade assessed on career politicians who for years have neglected to guide our nation into financial solvency? Referring to America’s dire financial situation Peterson said, “But this has got to be addressed. We have Moody’s rating service talking about downgrading from AAA to AA the bonds of the United States of America. I never thought in my lifetime that I would hear of anything like that. We have people talking in the Financial Times about the United States of America becoming the next Greece.” It is certainly about time that Representative Peterson and others of our leaders take our national debt seriously – which is approaching about $13 trillion or about $40,000 per individual. Unfortunately this new attention is too little too late as we have lost faith in many of our current career politicians.
Collin Peterson has spent the last 18 years in the United States Congress. Perhaps there was a time when the country could tolerate elected officials who would move from side to side. Perhaps there was a time when Americans could prosper in spite of politicians whose votes were dictated by working the middle between their constituency and their radical base. America is at a cross-road and is currently directed by the radical left. To regain the American idea, we need now new leadership anchored on principal limited government solutions.
This country has spent its way into a financial hole that we will not dig out of without elected officials who are committed to cutting the budget, reducing America’s national debt, and living within our means. I, Lee Byberg, will be that kind of elected official. As a nation, state and district, it is indeed time for the people to elect new leaders who will take on the difficult choices required to return our system to a limited government as specified by our Constitution.
During Peterson’s 18 years in Congress, his Party has promoted spending and taxation for every cause imaginable. Peterson and his friends have not considered the hard working, tax paying Americans who pay Washington’s bills. A token vote for restraint here and there does not make up for voting with Nancy Pelosi over 93% of the time. It is time to send someone to Congress who will stand for the traditional American values of individual freedom and responsibility, fiscal restraint, free enterprise, and efficient use of tax dollars.
I ask for your vote November 2nd.
Tuesday, April 13, 2010
Course Plotted, Destination: Washington
All stories consist of three main parts: beginning, middle, and end; however, stories do not distribute focus evenly among all three. Often, the beginning of a story is engaging, drawing you in, demanding your attention. The end of a good story is climactic, building to a crescendo of emotion and bringing you the “ah-ha” moment that ties up all the strings that had you paying attention in the first place. But, any great storyteller knows that the middle is where a story transcends to greatness.
This past weekend wrapped up the beginning of a great story. Minnesota CD7 has demanded that we must look back to move forward; we will return to the founding principles of our nation, and we will renew our commitment to life, liberty, and our pursuit of happiness. This is an appropriate beginning, but the middle awaits us.
The middle-voyage doesn’t possess the same turmoil of a ship leaving harbor, navigating shallow waters, rocking on the breakers. It doesn’t carry the emotional payoff of first spotting land and triumphantly bringing a ship to port. What it does is test the endurance of a captain, and the tenacity of his crew. It is the relentless pursuit of a distant goal that ends in disaster, or victory. It is the specialty of America. America is the pursuit of the top, the individual seeing a dream and working to achieve it. America is a free people wanting something better for the next generation. America began as a dream; America is far from its conclusion. America, by definition, is the journey.
We are past the breakers; we have hit the open sea. Thank you, Minnesota CD7 for a fantastic beginning. Now we are faced with the middle-voyage where many great stories will flounder. We will not. We know the history of America, and we know that the middle is the proving ground that will temper our excellent start and forge it into a conclusion worth telling. Twice American means first seeing your destination, and then having the fortitude to make the journey. We are all Twice American, and the middle is where we do our sailing.
This past weekend wrapped up the beginning of a great story. Minnesota CD7 has demanded that we must look back to move forward; we will return to the founding principles of our nation, and we will renew our commitment to life, liberty, and our pursuit of happiness. This is an appropriate beginning, but the middle awaits us.
The middle-voyage doesn’t possess the same turmoil of a ship leaving harbor, navigating shallow waters, rocking on the breakers. It doesn’t carry the emotional payoff of first spotting land and triumphantly bringing a ship to port. What it does is test the endurance of a captain, and the tenacity of his crew. It is the relentless pursuit of a distant goal that ends in disaster, or victory. It is the specialty of America. America is the pursuit of the top, the individual seeing a dream and working to achieve it. America is a free people wanting something better for the next generation. America began as a dream; America is far from its conclusion. America, by definition, is the journey.
We are past the breakers; we have hit the open sea. Thank you, Minnesota CD7 for a fantastic beginning. Now we are faced with the middle-voyage where many great stories will flounder. We will not. We know the history of America, and we know that the middle is the proving ground that will temper our excellent start and forge it into a conclusion worth telling. Twice American means first seeing your destination, and then having the fortitude to make the journey. We are all Twice American, and the middle is where we do our sailing.
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Government’s Beef with Agriculture
Agriculture continues to bring exceptional value and should not be blamed for Climate Change.
People today understand much less about the value chain that brings food to the kitchen table. As farming operations have increased in size with other industries, food production has become less visible in most communities. In the past, people had direct knowledge of food creation because they grew up on farms or visited the farms of friends and family. As government has expanded its regulatory role, many times in an intrusive fashion, it has brought excessive and unproductive regulatory restrictions. The reduced visibility of agriculture in our communities has left the public unaware of these challenges faced by today’s farmers. Many of these regulatory trends are initiated in Western Europe by special groups, migrate to California, and finally spread to the rest of the U.S. Agriculture in much of Western Europe is no longer self-sufficient due to these pressures.
Adding to this, livestock production has been incorrectly blamed for climate change. It was noted at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting this March 22 in San Francisco that only “2.8% of the U.S. greenhouse emissions (per the EPA) came from animal agriculture in 2007, and this number has remained nearly constant since 1990” (www.feedstuffs.com) This is amazing considering that the U.S. meat production has grown by 50% over the same period! As the global need for safe and affordable food is expected to double over the next 20 years, we must applaud our farmers for the diligent work they do and for the care of the land they demonstrate. We must not condemn them for bringing food to our tables. Twice American is first appreciating the goods and services we need, and second acknowledging that hardworking men and women are behind those goods and services.
Regards,
Lee Byberg
Source: Tim Lundeen, U.N. admits to flaw in climate change report. Feedstuffs, March 25, 2010
People today understand much less about the value chain that brings food to the kitchen table. As farming operations have increased in size with other industries, food production has become less visible in most communities. In the past, people had direct knowledge of food creation because they grew up on farms or visited the farms of friends and family. As government has expanded its regulatory role, many times in an intrusive fashion, it has brought excessive and unproductive regulatory restrictions. The reduced visibility of agriculture in our communities has left the public unaware of these challenges faced by today’s farmers. Many of these regulatory trends are initiated in Western Europe by special groups, migrate to California, and finally spread to the rest of the U.S. Agriculture in much of Western Europe is no longer self-sufficient due to these pressures.
Adding to this, livestock production has been incorrectly blamed for climate change. It was noted at the American Chemical Society’s national meeting this March 22 in San Francisco that only “2.8% of the U.S. greenhouse emissions (per the EPA) came from animal agriculture in 2007, and this number has remained nearly constant since 1990” (www.feedstuffs.com) This is amazing considering that the U.S. meat production has grown by 50% over the same period! As the global need for safe and affordable food is expected to double over the next 20 years, we must applaud our farmers for the diligent work they do and for the care of the land they demonstrate. We must not condemn them for bringing food to our tables. Twice American is first appreciating the goods and services we need, and second acknowledging that hardworking men and women are behind those goods and services.
Regards,
Lee Byberg
Source: Tim Lundeen, U.N. admits to flaw in climate change report. Feedstuffs, March 25, 2010
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