Kill the Bill

If you read Sunday's Albuquerque Journal you'll find a quaint story about anti-war protesters holding a "peace" rally Saturday afternoon down at Civic Plaza. What you won't find is a story about over 200 Tea Party Patriots rallying in front of Congressman Heinrich's office in 1st Plaza to kill the healthcare bill.

Democrats like Nancy Pelosi's arm candy - Martin Heinrich - don't seem to believe that they will pay a price for screwing up We the People's healthcare. The turnout of 200 strong for a rally organized via email on Friaday shows how very wrong they are.

Folks, elections have consequences and Obamacare is just one of the consequences of the 2008 election. There will be more.

We are seeing an unprecedented assault on freedom and liberty. Not since patriots threw the original tea party in Boston Harbor, has this level of arrogance and tyranny been so patently obvious.

The Road to Tyranny

The greatest threat to our freedom isn't some Islamo-Facist group training in the mountains of Afghanistan and Pakistan (although they remain a threat to our security), it's the internal threat created by good intentions. Whether it's global warming or healthcare these crises of convenience are serving to render liberty a quaint reminder of our past.

Our individual liberties are being consistently eroded by our good intentions. As a country and a society we are a generous people who want to see those less fortunate provided with an opportunity to better their lot in life. We also want to be good stewards of the environment in which we live. Our response is to give ever increasing authority to government eschewing our own responsibilities and delivering our liberties to those who are the most likely to abuse them and us.

Gov. Bill Richardson has issued an executive order today that contains a slew of new emission reduction directives designed to combat climate change, which the governor described as "the most critical environmental issue of our time."

- ABQ Journal (Subscription)

In addition, the executive order specifically calls for reducing greenhouse gas emissions that stem from coal-fired power plants and mining operations.

- ABQ Journal (Subscription)

Never mind that the global warming "scientists" are far too willing to substitute consensus for evidence. Never mind that the historical record indicates periods of global cooling and warming long before man's discovery of the useful nature of carbon based fuels. Ever increasing regulation will strangle innovation and for a state dependent on oil and gas revenue that has regulated itself into a $600 MILLION deficit, more regulation equals economic disaster.

American success is built upon American freedom. Whether it's regulating a gas created by every mammal on the planet in the name of saving said planet or creating a new health insurance system that will inevitably lead to poorer care and fewer choices, our personal and economic freedoms are under attack.

The Tea Party movement is a direct response to our government's attack on freedom. They understand that when government spends our money and binds us to financial commitments that cannot possibly be repaid for generations. Each dollar spent by government, each financial obligation incurred necessarily our economic options - our economic freedom.

If we continue down this road of empowering government rather than insuring liberty we will achieve the ends that are the goal of our country's Islamo-Facist enemies, economic collapse and governmental tyranny.

Town Hall Hoax

There's an old saying... "It's better to be thought a fool than to open your mouth and prove everyone right." Martin "Hunky" Heinrich has announced that he'll have a "Town Hall" this coming Saturday, August 22nd starting at 3:00pm.

Now before you start picturing scenes from other town halls across the country where angry constituents ask tough questions and Congressional Democrats dance, dodge, and dis their constituents, Hunky's town hall will be different. Despite being billed as "another town hall meeting on the critical issue of health care reform with constituents in the First Congressional District,"(heinrich.hose.gov) Democrats are determined to limit Heinrich's opportunities to prove his constituents right by limiting the number of questions he has to answer.

Their first ploy was to hold his "town hall" on a train... yes, a train. What better way to limit public exposure than to have a limited number of people in a confined space speeding down a track (at a harrowing 40 MPH) in a diesel locomotive belching CO2 into the atmosphere? Well one way would be to have a panel discussion and call it a "town hall."

That's what Hunky's got up his sleeve for this Saturday. The Heinrich folks aren't really talking about it but they've assembled a panel of "experts" to do Hunky's talking for him. Our Eyes tell us that the Rio Grande Foundation's Paul Guessing was included on the panel Tuesday, but the other members are sure to be Hunky's Handpicked Helpers.

Here's the problem... The "town hall" is only 90 minutes. Even if Heinrich's folks have put together a balanced panel of experts, the Congressman himself won't be answering many questions.

"The event will bring together New Mexicans from across the district to ask questions as Representative Heinrich works to address the health care crisis in our country."

- heinrich.house.gov

There's little doubt that "[t]he event will bring together New Mexicans" to ask questions, but don't be surprised if they don't get to ask many of them and don't be shocked if Hunky doesn't do a lot of answering. Democrats are determined not to have Heinrich open his mouth and prove everyone right and they really couldn't hide Hunky completely, so they've done the next best thing which is hiding him behind a panel. Make no mistake - Hunky's town hall is a hoax because the town won't be participating in the hall.

----- You Should Know -----
If you plan on heading down to UNM's Continuing Ed to attend Heinrich's Town Hall Hoax, you'll need to get there well before 3pm. There are a number of rumors that the timing of the "town hall" was designed to coincide with the end of another event that would take advantage of a large number of Heinrich "friendlies" who would already be in the building. Or that Democrats are planning on busing in ACORN or union members as they've done at other town halls across the country.

We don't know whether either rumor is true, but there are a lot of folks that want to be heard. We'd suggest getting there well before 2:30pm.

Eye Poll: No Government Takeover of Healthcare

Eye readers spoke loud and clear last week - no way to government run healthcare. A stunning 76% of Eye readers rejected the Obama/Pelosi/Ried takeover of your insurance, your doctor, your life. 20% were for the ill-advised plan, 3% didn't know and 1% didn't care.

Make no mistake, this government takeover of our healthcare system is the biggest threat to your liberty that has ever come out of any party in America. If passed, government will be able to dictate everything from how frequently you have children, to how long you live, to the medications you receive, and the procedures you are eligible for. Not to mention the inevitable shortage of doctors, nurses, and other healthcare professionals.

In the end, we will all have coverage... but will we want the coverage we have?

This week's Eye Poll features the impending mayoral race. It's hard to believe that voters will be casting votes in just over a month! Who's your choice to be our next mayor? Don't forget to vote!