The GOOD News

“Not a single Republican voted for an $819 billion version of the plan when it passed the House on Wednesday.”

There it is, folks, and it almost brought a tear to my eye. When I started writing this blog, it was because I felt that people were hearing enough negative. I felt like the media was fueling a sense of helplessness by promoting fear and negativism. I was heartbroken by the results of the 2008 elections. But, I also recognized that it was no time to give up on America. I recognized that the future of our children was worth fighting for and so is the legacy of our forefathers in amazing country.

My plan was to try and write out the good things that were happening, rather than complaining about my frustrations. It turns out, that goal is much harder than I imagined. Mostly, because the things that make me want to commentate are the things that frustrate and anger me. I am a debater at heart and find myself wanting to argue with the bad decisions of politicians. I know that I do not always succeed in my goal to embolden and inspire, rather than contributing to the growing fear and frustration. But today there is good news.

There were two stories in the news that caught my eye yesterday. First, a couple from Florida spent $155,000 on a clone of a beloved pet. The reaction to this news was fairly uniform. People expressed shock, irritation and even outrage at such a ridiculous use of money. The Humane Society didn’t waste time in condemning the decision to clone a pet when the couple could have adopted a homeless dog or, one commentator suggested, funded spaying and neutering operations at the local Humane Society for 6 months.

My objection was only at the folly of paying so much money for something without checking it out. You see, this couple opted not to have the dog’s DNA tested. They trusted the Korean scientist, despite the fact that he had lost his research professorship at Seoul National University in 2004 after claiming he had cloned human embryos and stem cells. He, in fact, had done no such thing. If you were buying a house for 155 grand, you’d certainly have it inspected first.

But the simple fact that the couple spent an insane sum of money on a dog didn’t bother me at all. Why? It was their money. It’s sort of a moot point, but it was reported that, despite the controversy, this couple had paid out more than double what they paid for their cloned dog in donations to the humane society over the years. Still, people are criticizing them. Why do we live in a world where people think they have the right to say what others should and should not do with the money they earn?

Interestingly, the other big news story that caught my attention was that the House passed the so-called “stimulus” bill. I hope you’re catching the relationship between these stories. You see, I have a little less tolerance for the government wasting taxpayer money. But don’t get all indignant, thinking it’s your money being wasted. It’s not. It’s your childrens' money. Be indignant because the government is putting my 12-month-old into debt.

This bill includes $25 million dollars for new ATV trails, government checks to illegal immigrants, and money for STD prevention programs. For more of a breakdown, look here.

In the end, the only thing this bill is going to provide is bigger government. You see, my friends, there is always a trade off. The more your government “gives,” the more it takes in return. And I am not talking about money. I am taking about your rights and liberty. I’m talking about choices.

The Democrats are making long, elaborate speeches about how the Republicans are supposed to “come together” with them. They are targeting conservative commentators and pointing out how this destructive ideology is standing in the way of their ultimate progress. President Obama, himself, has lashed out publicly against both Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity since his inauguration. And it all tends to paint a picture of loving Democrats trying so hard to help people while conservatives are objecting simply because of politics. Meanwhile, the media seems to be doing the bobble-head thing to everything the politicians say.

This is not about politics. This is about principles. This is about freedom. The Democrats are using the economic downturn to try to push through all the bigger government programs they’ve wanted for years while the people are looking for a savior. They are making a grab for more power and never bothering to point out that once freedom is surrendered it is nearly impossible to get back. They are using the guise of “stimulating the economy” to take a wide step toward socialism.

By now, you are probably wondering why in the world I called this news article "good news." There has been a trend recently for Republicans to bow to the pressure. The media has painted them as politically divisive when they are simple representing what the people of this country want. In the past, some Republicans have been swayed. I was honestly scared that with the liberals controlling both houses of Congress and the Executive Branch, Republicans would be influenced by the inevitable “call for unity.” (even though it’s really just a call for doing what the liberals want.) My friends, yesterday, every Republican in the house voted against the bill.

Perhaps being in a clear minority will help the Republicans. Maybe they felt like while they controlled the Presidency, sticking with conservative values was kind of "bullying the little guy." Whatever the case, it was a good start and proof that some of us want to stick with the legacy of America. Remember that this country is still a place where a silly couple in Florida can waste their $155 grand on a cloned dog without even testing its authenticity. It’s their money. They earned it. As for the rest of us, let’s keep fighting the good fight to be certain our children can do the same. I hope my kids will make better choices. But, in the end, I simply want them to have those choices.