Letter: Government working to control citizens

Now that our leaders in Washington have prevented the dreaded “fiscal cliff,” everyone is patting themselves on the back for having “saved the country.” This is the greatest shell game ever put forth on American citizens.

There is nothing in the “fiscal cliff” agreement that reduces one dollar of the $16 trillion debt. In fact, we can look forward to not only lacking a strategy to reduce debt, but to a continuation of trillion-dollar-plus deficits each year. That means we are still hanging onto the cliff, with absolutely no solution in sight. One thing is certain: President Barack Obama will continue his unprecedented spending while constantly looking for ways to increase taxes on everyone — forget that helping the middle-class campaign rhetoric. We can expect irresponsible spending, noncompromising attitudes, blaming George Bush and disdain for the successful blanketing the dialogue in the coming years.

We are also witnessing the most-egregious takeover of freedom by the federal government since the creation of America. And, the trend will further increase. The goal is clear: taking away any freedom government wishes to do so, regardless of what the Constitution dictates.

Wake up, Americans. We are getting deeper in debt each year. The Senate will not even submit a budget to try to control spending, although this is the law. They ignore the Constitution, while no one demands this change. Such private-sector irresponsibility would surely lead to being fired yet instead, we are held hostage by these elected officials.

It is time we remember that America was born from resistance and rebellion to a government that sought to tax them insanely and control every facet of their life.

Billy Arcement

professional speaker/consultant

Prairieville

Comments

1) Comment by Whatnow - 10/01/2013

"The gun has been called the great equalizer, meaning that a small person with a gun is equal to a large person, but it is a great equalizer in another way, too. It insures that the people are the equal of their government whenever that government forgets that it is servant and not master of the governed. When the British forgot that they got a revolution. And, as a result, we Americans got a Constitution; a Constitution that, as those who wrote it were determined, would keep men free. If we give up part of that Constitution we give up part of our freedom and increase the chance that we will lose it all." --Ronald Reagan http://archives.gunsandammo.com/content/ronald-reagan-gun-owners-champion) When the government gets rid of their recently stockpile of ammo for ICE, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Services, the US Forest Service, the Department of Homeland Security, the Social Security Administration and the National Weather Service, (http://www.naturalnews.com/036847_ammo_purchases_government_stockpiling_media_lies.html) (http://www.americanthinker.com/blog/2012/08/unusual_government_agencies_stockpiling_ammo.html) (http://theintelhub.com/2012/04/05/the-us-government-has-ordered-over-750-million-rounds-of-40-caliber-hollow-point-ammunition-in-the-last-three-years/) (http://www.examiner.com/article/feds-explanation-of-hollow-point-bullets-raises-more-questions) then I will consider giving up my semi-automatic weapons.

2) Comment by Attila - 10/01/2013

Each time I read one of Twiinkie's didactic I give thanks that she never had a chance to indoctrinate my children. She is one of the reasons that the teachers unions are as vilified as they are. Her assertions that Jimmy Carter, Clinton, and Obamha are the best of the best is puerile to say the least...you also forgot to include LBJ in your fantasy list. He is the worst of the worst.

3) Comment by Whatnow - 10/01/2013

twinkie1cat, Rhonda, listening or reading your ramblings is like listening to a special needs child. They just talk and talk, but don't know what they are saying. We indulge little children, but you are not a child, so we won't.

4) Comment by Triple - 09/01/2013

@Rhonda(T1C). I hope you realize few readers of these discussions take your postings serious. Who you are speaks so loudly, know one can hear what you are saying. Your hyperbole borders on insanity.

5) Comment by twinkie1cat - 09/01/2013

Whatnow: I wish the government cared as much about ensuring that the wealthy paid their fair share and stopping outsourcing and promoting equal human rights as they do about this whiny "spending control" issue. You cannot have an educated productive population that pays taxes unless they have great education and job skills so they can leave the unskilled work to people who either can't or refuse to get a quality education. To do this you have to quit substituting standardized testing for education and hire only the most educated and qualified teachers to teach the kids most at risk. It would be nice if they cared as much about getting quality services to the people as the Republicans care about avoiding gun control.

6) Comment by twinkie1cat - 09/01/2013

Why wouldn't they tolerate a dictator. They tolerated Ronald Reagan and two Bush's and Louisiana tolerates Bobby Jindal. We have only had a few presidents who weren't dictators in recent memory----Jimmy Carter, Clinton, and Obama.

7) Comment by Attila - 09/01/2013

I think Obamha does not care what kind of Pandora's box he would open due to executive order(s) that would curtail gun rights...If he is stupid enough to go that route, he will find out that the American people will not stand for a dick-tator in chief.

8) Comment by Whatnow - 09/01/2013

Looks like Obama knows he can't win this one so Biden is pushing an Executive Order (dictate) and ignoring the people, the states rights, Congress and the Constitution. Powerful, handy little things, those Executive Orders. Never liked them much and now we see why. There is no more "We The People".

9) Comment by Lannonmac - 09/01/2013

Hey Chicken Little, the sky is not falling; it is just a flock of geese flying south for the winter! While Mr. Arcement’s intent is clearly to spread fear, distrust and loathing for the US government, he succeeds at showing how silly the fear mongers really are. Come on folks, even a basic understanding of macro-economic theory tells us that when a recession hits the economy slows down, which causes a decrease in tax revenues. Yet the Federal government still needs to operate and employees and contractors still need to be paid, so the Government “borrows” the money by selling bonds. We had a really, really bad economic disaster, the worse since 1929, coupled with huge tax cuts already in place and two wars to fight, consequently the “borrowing” we need is huge and likely to get bigger. Yet history tells us that when the economy recovers (and it will) the deficit’s share of the GDP will shrink. If you want to get upset and paranoid, start worrying about the effect of the House Republicans refusing to increase the U.S.A.’s debt limit, now there is something to worry about!

10) Comment by Whatnow - 09/01/2013

Don't you wish the government cared about spending control as much as they cared about gun control? It's not a question about which guns, it's about control. They couldn't even control the guns they sent to Mexico to cartels and they want to control the whole U.S.? Unless they had a different agenda by sending those guns. Hmmmm.....

11) Comment by phil - 08/01/2013

You have to be kidding whoever said "Misinformed conservatives actually believe the debt ceiling has something to do with our budget planning." OK now I know how to solve MY budget problem and everyone else's debt problem. The government should allow each citizen to have a printing press in their home with the ability to print new money. Then we can just print our own money when we need it. See how that solves this entire problem. Then we all could send the government that approximate $52,000 we each owe for the national debt by just printing the money and sending it to the federal government. If that system works for the federal government then it should work for citizens too -RIGHT? Budgets and debt and debt ceilings DO have everything in common for both us and for the government..

12) Comment by phil - 08/01/2013

I always had the freedom to buy health insurance although I might not of had the money. Now I apparently have lost the freedom to NOT buy health insurance under Obamacare. What will I be forced by the federal government to buy next now that the legal precedent has been established that the government can force all citizens to buy whatever the government decides they need to buy? It will soon be even better to be very rich in the USA or very poor. Poor people will get everything for free, the rich and middle class will pay for it initially, and then the middle class will become a thing of the past as they become a part of the poor. Some will also realize it is easier to not work and get everything for free so why waste energy working, and they will try to find ways to beat the system to get on the free list. If being lazy and being dependent on the government is a goal of this country, then think they are headed in the right direction. Socialism does not work.

13) Comment by postscript56 - 08/01/2013

I love all the radical right posters. Their paranoia is driving their brand of conservatism into irrelevance. Here's wishing them all God speed.

14) Comment by Whatchange - 08/01/2013

unevahno: wow just wow.

15) Comment by DMJ - 08/01/2013

"We are also witnessing the most-egregious takeover of freedom by the federal government since the creation of America." Yeah, even though no freedoms have been taken away, this is worse than slavery, according to this yahoo. By far, one of the most hysterical, non-informed letters the Advocate has printed. I'm all for different points of views, but they should be intelligent, informed views, not the rantings of paranoids. I ask, yet again, which freedoms have been taken away. Anyone?.....

16) Comment by unevahno - 08/01/2013

Misinformed conservatives actually believe the debt ceiling has something to do with our budget planning. So they follow their misguided and untruthful "leaders" into thinking that there is a "fiscal cliff" that the Tea Party will save up from at the last possible moment. To all misled conservatives: the debt limit is to pay for money already spent; debts already incurred. Bush, yes, Bush, put two wars and a Pharma layaway on the credit card, then passed it along to Obama. Being an honorable and intelligent man, Obama strives to pay the Bush credit card bill while Bush's passe (the GOP/TP) proposes we ignore the needs of our citizens to pay for Halliburton's windfall.

17) Comment by twinkie1cat - 08/01/2013

If the Republicans were in charge the whole nation would be as bad off as Louisiana is with Bobby's budget cuts for everything but private and religious schools and his own executive branch budget. Because they only have part of the federal government under their control, they can only do partial damage. Hopefully, in the next congressional election they will lose the House and we can have 2 years of full fledged recovery. Even better, their states need to recall all the teapartiers now leaving only the more sensible Republicans while Louisiana gets hold of Jindal and his clones......As for Bush's name not being on the door, actually his, his daddy's and Ronald Reagan's are just barely covered up and the whitwash is still peeling off because their satan inspired laws and policies, like the failed theory of trickle down economics are still influencing and destroying America. We do not get a clean slate with each new president. Clinton is the last president who had the deficit under control and W. Bush rapidly undermined it so that by the end of his terms Obama had an even worse one to contend with. The deficit is like alcoholism. If the alcoholic stops drinking and then starts up again, the disease has progressed and he is much worse off than he was before he stopped.

18) Comment by Whatchange - 08/01/2013

Obamacare, there won't be any collecting on that fine/tax if you don't buy health insurance, That is straight from President Obama, they are still giving you the money to buy it if you can't afford it, but they won't collect the fine/tax, at least right now. Keep an eye on your pay checks, at the end of the year a single person will notice $2,000 less, married $4,000 less, the cost or working. Now this whole blame Bush, who's our president?. If I remember correctly President Clinton pushed the everyone is entitled to a house, car, and credit cards, but to be fair, Bush didn't help. The Patriot Act, gotta love this one, that took away so many freedoms, and it is still in effect, being extended for another 4 years in 2012, meaning our current president approves of it also. Why is it so hard for people to understand that it is not one party that is to blame for our current situation, it is both parties. Right now one party controls the house and one the senate, so that means they both agree. They are loving every minute of the American public sitting here bickering and blaming the party the don't like. Billy Arcement, you better run the sky is falling. At dday198, Bush's name isn't on the door, President Obama is, get over it.

19) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

and we paid for every man woman and child's heath care in Iraq.

20) Comment by nimby? - 08/01/2013

and the debt continues to grow . last time I checked the name on the door wasn't Bush , hasn't been for a while ...

21) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

most of these guys sound like if they voted at all they voted for Romney. he lost get over it.

22) Comment by twinkie1cat - 08/01/2013

First, about "taking away freedom", Mr. Acrement must have President Obama mixed up with George W. Bush. Remember it was Bush who created the most freedom eliminating law since Jim Crow, the Patriot Act which allows spying on American citizens and even tapping the phones of street level drug dealers in order to make a bust. Disguised as a way to stop terrorists our freedom of association was limited in a way that makes gun control look like kindergarten class rules........Second as for the deficit reduction: The Republicans caused it. The Republicans need to suffer for it with their war on the credit card and tax cuts on the job destroyers. As for cutting social programs, America needs the social programs we have to get people through the recession so they can get good jobs, pay taxes and help reduce the deficit.

23) Comment by DMJ - 08/01/2013

I'd like to know which freedoms, specifically, we've lost under Obama. The freedom not to have health insurance? Wrong. We still have that; you just get fined. The right to bear arms? Still there, stronger than ever, in fact. Free speech? Freedom of the press? freedom of religion? All very much intact. You can always tell when a person doesn't know what they're talking about when their criticisms are extraordinarily vague, dramatic platitudes devoid of details or specifics. So, Arcement...which freedoms have we lost? Educate me. This should be good...

24) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

Attila what time does rush come on? don't be late or you'll have nothing to say.

25) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

Attila what time does rush come on? don't be late or you'll have nothing to say.

26) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

i'm with Maelstrom

27) Comment by Attila - 08/01/2013

@dday and Spudsie: You can do your part to help reduce the deficit dday. As I have stated before, all you have to do is write a check for an amount of choice over what you owe to the IRS with instructions to send the overpayment of the Dept. of the Treasury to help reduce the debt because you do not want it. And Spudsie, as far as seriously reducing the military budget, what exactly do you suggest. In the 50's and well into the 60's the military consumed 60% of the national budget. It is now down to around 16%...so how low do we go?

28) Comment by phil - 08/01/2013

We can easily fix the national debt problem. According to one website, each citizen's share of this debt is $52,345.95. Just write a check for that amount (and one for each of your kids) and send it to the federal government. this year. Actually if you look at the national budget and debt, the actual national debt cannot be lowered until the overall yearly deficit is zero or there are more revenues than expenses. Most people in Congress talk about decreasing the yearly deficit but usually say nothing about how the decreases in the deficit will affect the overall national debt. From what I have seen so far, the national debt will still INCREASE every year. This is just a word game. We are going to be in big trouble if it gets to the point that we cannot even afford to pay the interest on the debt. Are we losing freedoms? If you call another layer of local government being added that can control your property rights like in special districts run by commissioners then the short answer is yes. If you call being dependent on the government for almost everything then I think the answer again is yes. If you call being forced to buy something and then that same thing is given free to to others, then I say the answer is yes again. Just a few examples to consider.

29) Comment by civitasiveritas - 08/01/2013

@Tradewinns: How lovely. Destroy the nation, ignoring all the millions of innocents who had nothing at all to do with the horrific events of 9-11. How advanced our "civilization" has become. Interesting. I wonder if @tradewinns ever served a day in his life. Tell us, oh wise one who wishes to kill millions without regard to their guilt or innocence. And your ignorance of our military abilities is admirable, it rises to the level of your ignorance about education!

30) Comment by tradewinns - 08/01/2013

i find it hard to blame "the people" for wars. the people get their information from the media, which gets their information from the government. what i hate is our government always insist on setting up a govt that reflects our way of thinking. afganistan is a great example. they supported the attack on 9-11. we all know what happened to them and where we are currently. i would have acted differently. i would have destroyed the nation with aircraft and missiles, no ground troops. then monitor the country to see if they begin a new "plan" if it doesn't bother us, fine. if it is against us, destroy those individuals. and monitor again. we have the capability to do what i propose. our government does not attack that way because "innocents" could be hurt. aren't the american men and women who have been killed or maimed innocent? our nation's holier than thou, pious attitude kills americans, not the enemy. why don't we tell china they can have afganistan? they may take it and there's nothiong there anyone wants anyway.

31) Comment by lovemykids - 08/01/2013

Does Congress have the lowest ratings ever recorded? Why do we keep electing the same people?

32) Comment by DMJ - 08/01/2013

Did I miss something? What freedoms is the government taking away? Also, who on earth would hire this paranoid moron to speak?

33) Comment by UrbanModerate - 08/01/2013

Takeover of freedom? What freedom have I lost? I keep hearing about all the freedom being taken away, but damned if I can think of something I can't do now that I could do before?

34) Comment by [e-mail] - 08/01/2013

It's amazing how many apologists for more government control of the people and less freedom therof are out there; I suspect that it's a part of the antipathy towards common sense that is so prevalent these days in the media. Some people don't know anything about common sense and view the world from facebook or their phones.

35) Comment by Maelstrom - 08/01/2013

Could undo much of what Bush II did: pay for the unfunded wars (that would mean increasing taxes as we've done for every previous war and decreasing military spending), get rid of all of Bush's tax cuts, get rid or modify medicare part D. Regulate Wall Street more (that Clinton and Bush II decreased oversight). That would be a start, at least as to negotiation.

36) Comment by nimby? - 08/01/2013

this administration continues to accept no blame , no responsibility , its gaffs/mistakes are clarified as "misunderstandings" to be explained at a later date . it will not be held accountable by those who voted for it or the media who supports it .

37) Comment by Chucky - 08/01/2013

OK we have blamed Bush, now what.

38) Comment by Scrooge - 08/01/2013

Don't blame Mr. Arcement, he's just repeating the true facts what he heard from somebody who saw it on the internet and heard it on the radio about the new secret government plot. Does the preponderance of this type of delusion in Louisiana correspond to the historical neglect of education or is that just coincidence?

39) Comment by postscript56 - 08/01/2013

Billy, I know you can't help it but your paranoia is showing. If you want to complain about the debt and spending first take responsibility for electing the politicians that started us down this road. Then acknowledge you're supporting politicans who refuse to negotiate any solution that requires them to take responsibility. Drop all the fearful, end-of-the-world scenarios that consume your thinking. Walk back from the edge of the abyss. There. Now we can talk.

40) Comment by Spudaroonski - 08/01/2013

How much should our bloated military budget be cut? After all that is where most of our tax dollars go and that is where most of the fat is. Until serious budget cuts to our military happen I don't want to hear a GD thing from anybody.

41) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

a lot of this mess is bush's fault, two unfunded wars medicare part d unfunded and tax breaks on top of that.

42) Comment by dday198 - 08/01/2013

****Comment Removed for Violation of Terms of Use****

43) Comment by Bighug - 08/01/2013

Billy is right about blaming George Bush. I still hear people claiming Bush got us into wars in the Middle East. Wasn't it that Moslem whose Christian pastor made derrogatory remarks about the US who did that?

44) Comment by Chucky - 08/01/2013

The only 'safety net' for the Government is to spend less or tax more.