They who can give up essential liberty to obtain a little temporary safety, deserve neither liberty nor safety.

One of our founding fathers is credited with penning those prophetic words over 200 years ago.  Tonight, the Pelosi health care bill passed the House of Representative.  If this “health care reform” passes the senate and is signed by the president, American citizens will be under even more government oppression than they already are.  We will have lost the freedom to choose for ourselves what we feel is best for our own lives regarding health care.

The democrats say they want freedom of choice- the freedom for same sex couples to marry, the freedom for a woman to end the life of the child in her womb… yet they deny Americans the choice of health care?  They increase my taxes to pay for the health care of others that may not even want it?  They take my hard earned money and apply it as they see fit, denying me the opportunity to spend it on a little poor child’s Christmas presents?  I love Angel tree programs.  I always do what I can to help.  This year might be the last year, as my taxes sky rocket to support massive government entitlement programs.

Please tell the children that I’m sorry.

From the Ways and Means Republicans-

Today, Ranking Member of the House Ways and Means Committee Dave Camp (R-MI) released a letter from the non-partisan Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) confirming that the failure to comply with the individual mandate to buy health insurance contained in the Pelosi health care bill (H.R. 3962, as amended) could land people in jail.  The JCT letter makes clear that Americans who do not maintain “acceptable health insurance coverage” and who choose not to pay the bill’s new individual mandate tax (generally 2.5% of income), are subject to numerous civil and criminal penalties, including criminal fines of up to $250,000 and imprisonment of up to five years.

Excuse me while I pick my jaw up off the floor.  Who do these people think they are?  I am not a recalcitrant child; I’m a real live grown-up, capable of making my own decisions on whether or not I want to pay for health care for myself and my family.  I happen to think that it’s beneficial to my family to carry health insurance, so I choose to do so.  But I don’t assume that that’s the best choice for everyone.  Healthy, single people fresh out of school at introductory level jobs, struggling to pay rent and student loans probably don’t need health insurance.  I’m not so arrogant that I assume that my decisions are the right ones for everyone else.  Every person and every situation is unique.

The House of Representatives will be voting today on health care legislation.  In defiance of President Obama and Speaker Pelosi’s promise that the legislation would be available to the public for 72 hours prior to a vote.

There is still time to call the Representatives leaning yes on a bill that will severely limit our freedom and liberty and tell them to vote no.  Refuse to be silent.  Make a stand.  It’s more important now than ever.

According to Nancy Pelosi, democrats swept the elections on Tuesday! As quoted on Politico.com-

From our perspective we won…We had one race that we were engaged in, it was in northern New York, it was a race where a Republican has held the seat since the Civil War and we won that seat, so from our standpoint, no, a candidate was victorious who supports health care reform, and his remarks last night said this was a victory for health care reform and other initiatives for the American people.

In his Wednesday briefing, Press Secretary Robert Gibbs stated that it’s hard to pick trends out of local elections like the ones in New Jersey and Virginia, but gleefully touted the democratic win in New York 23, where Bill Owens won over conservative 3rd party candidate Doug Hoffman. The press secretary noted that GOP officials “purged” the Republican candidate in the race to make way for Conservative Party candidate Doug Hoffman. Actually, Mr. Gibbs, it was the GOP officials that endorsed the republican candidate, and it was the Republican BASE that decided to support Doug Hoffman, rather than RINO Dede Sccozzafava.

Yup, the democrats sure won big last night! They picked up a seat in New York, where their candidate won less than 50% of the vote…. Even though there were no other major party candidates. When’s the last time a third party candidate won 45% of the vote? Scozzafava picked up 5 ½ % of the vote, which goes to show that there are always people that check the box with an R or a D, regardless of the people attached to the letters.

The Democrats also picked up a seat in Northern California- shocker!

The White House does admit democratic defeat in a couple of local elections.

I guess being elected to govern an entire state like Virgina or New Jersey isn’t really that big of a deal then. Because the republicans won those seats. Conservative Republican Bob McDonnell beat Democrat Creigh Deeds by a landslide in Virginia, and even moderate Republican Chris Christie unseated Gov. Jon Corzine in New Jersey.

It’s probably of little importance or interest that New Jersey and Virginia both voted blue in the 2008 Presidential election. Nah, that couldn’t possibly indicate a shift in the tide.

Oh, and Maine voted not to allow same sex marriages, a popular issue with the liberal democrats.

But golly gee, the democrats sure won big!

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One of my toddler’s favorite games right now is to pick up a Duplo block, hold it to her ear, and say, “Hew-woe?” It’s pretty cute, and a testament to how far technology has come that she is convinced that a bright green, 2-inch block with 8 little “buttons” is a cell phone. Actually, I’m not sure she’d even recognize a phone with a curly cord. Or even a regular bulky cordless. Her dad and I gave up our land line before she was even a twinkle in our eyes.

Generally speaking, I’m a fan of technology. I loathe the household chores now, I shudder to think about what it would be like if my daily list included emptying chamber pots, scrubbing clothes in a bucket and then putting them through that wringer thingy (ok, I admit, that crank wringer might be fun at first. But I’m sure it would get old fast.), or churning butter. I do love to cook, only over the flames of my gas powered stove top. Any cooking that involves chopping wood, stoking a fire, and crouching over a sooty fireplace is not for me!

I also love my laptop and my blackberry. They keep me connected with my family, my friends, and my world. Just by pushing some buttons, I can call family and friends on the other side of the country. I can check the news while waiting in line at the grocery store. I can sit on the couch and snuggle with that aforementioned toddler while I write this post.

Technology is pretty cool.

But when does it go to far?

Have you seen this robot? It’s pretty freaky. It looks sort of like a torso with legs. Humanoid legs. That work! This thing walks! Add some arms and a head, some of that human tissue and skin they’re learning to grow in labs, and BAM! Robots that look like humans!

Another piece of technology I love is my TV and DVD player. And I love movies. Some of my favorites are The Matrix, The Terminator, and T2. Battlestar Gallactica? Forget about it, I frakkin’ love it. 6 is my favorite Cylon. Isn’t she everyone’s favorite?

Those science geeks need to get out more and watch some movies and TV. Because then they’d know that eventually the robots take over and thus begins the Man vs. Machine war!

Duh. Everyone knows that. Well, at least people with a DVD player.

I think it’s safe to say that I’ve been completely enthralled with watching what’s been happening in Upstate New York.  The 23rd district of New York has no one representing it in the US House of Representatives.  Which is why there’s going to be a special election on Tuesday, November 3rd.  As is usual with any election, there is a Democrat and a Republican running for the seat.  Only this time, both of those candidates were liberals.  Enter Doug Hoffman, a lifelong Republican who was sick of the closet liberals hiding in the GOP closet.  He entered the race as an Independent, for the Conservative Party.

Everyone knows that third party candidates don’t stand a chance of winning elections, right?  Right?  Maybe not.  Mr. Hoffman picked up steam quickly, even though the odds were stacked against him.  He was operating on a shoestring budget, and the Republican machine (specifically Newt Gingrich and the National Republican Congressional Committee) endorsed Ms. Scozzafava, the Republican candidate.

This has been fascinating to watch, because it’s the first time that we’re seeing Tea Party Principles being put into practice.  MSNBC can dismiss us with crude name-calling comments.  The Speaker of the House, the 2nd in line for the Presidency, can call the movement AstroTurf, not real grassroots activism.  The President himself can tell us to get out of his way.  The media can completely ignore a 9/12 March on Washington, which was attended by at least 8 people.  Or maybe over a million.  Counting is hard!

The race in New York is proof that us liberty loving Americans are not in the minority.  We are not Democrat haters who only care about having Republicans in office.  We are simply sick of our elected officials trying to run our lives for us.  They do not give us our rights, God does that.  The government can only protect those rights.  Doug Hoffman is an ordinary man, but he understands that the Constitutional principles of limited government.  After all, a government that can give you everything can also take it all away.  When Doug Hoffman began getting substantial numbers in the polls, it showed Washington that Conservatism is not a fringe movement.  It is a snowball, and baby, it has just begun to roll down the hill.

The Washington Elite are getting scared.  I think the liberals hiding in our GOP closet are the most terrified, and they should be.  Dede Scozzafava has certainly been acting like a scared mess of a person.  She called the cops on a reporter that had the audacity to ask her about some of her liberal positions.  She set up a ridiculous press conference in front of one of Hoffman’s campaign offices, which ended up as a horrendous photo-op that did her no favors.

Yesterday, October 31st, she finally picked up her toys and went home. She officially withdrew herself from the election, saying,

It is increasingly clear that pressure is mounting on many of my supporters to shift their support. Consequently, I hereby release those individuals who have endorsed and supported my campaign to transfer their support as they see fit to do so. I am and have always been a proud Republican. It is my hope that with my actions today, my Party will emerge stronger and our District and our nation can take an important step towards restoring the enduring strength and economic prosperity that has defined us for generations.

You know, I actually grew a little bit of respect for the lady.  She seemed to understand that due to some of her liberal positions, many of the Republicans voting in the election would be forced to choose between her or the more conservative Doug Hoffman.  She took one for the team when her numbers kept slipping, removing herself from the race and almost ensuring a win for Hoffman.

That respect lasted almost 24 hours, right up until  she endorsed the Democratic candidate Bill Owens.

Halloween is over.  I guess Dede Scozzafava has finally taken off her Republican costume.