Who Is Rick Perry? By Bill Franklin
Saturday, July 9, 2011
He is a fifth generation Texan, the son of hardscrabble west Texas tenant
farmers - Democrats but conservatives through and through. He grew up in a
farm town too small to be on the state map. Life was so hard that he was six
years old before his house had indoor plumbing. His mother sewed his
clothes, including the underwear he wore to college.
He is an Eagle Scout. After Paint Creek High School , he attended Texas A&M,
graduated, and was commissioned into the Air Force where he became a C-130
pilot.
Now 61 years old, he has won nine elections to four different offices in
Texas state government. In the first three elections he ran as a Democrat
then switched to the Republican Party. He is currently the 47th governor of
Texas - a position he has held for 11 years, the longest tenure of any
governor in the nation.
He has never lost an election.
Rick Perry was the Lieutenant Governor to whom Governor George Bush handed
over the office after winning the 2000 Presidential election. Since then,
Perry won gubernatorial elections in 2002, 2004, and 2010, the last time by
55% against a field consisting of a Democrat, a Libertarian, a Green Party,
and an Independent.
Since he became its Governor, Texas - a right to work state that taxes
neither personal income nor capital gains - has added more jobs than the
other 49 states combined. In the last two years, low taxes and little
regulation led his state to create 47% of all jobs created in the entire
nation. Five of the top ten cities with the highest job growth in the nation
are in Texas . People follow jobs, so in the last four years for which data
are available, Texas led every state in net interstate migration growth.
Perry signed ground-breaking "loser pays" tort reform and medical litigation
rules that caused malpractice insurance rates to fall. Some 20,000 doctors
have since moved to Texas .
Texas boasts 58 of the Fortune 500 companies - more than any other state.
Since May 2011 Texas resumed its pre-recession employment levels. Only two
other states and the District of Columbia have done that.
Texas ships 16% of the nation's export value. California trails at 11%. Of
the 70 companies that have fled California so far in 2011, 14 relocated in
Texas .
In this year's Texas legislative season, Perry got most of what he wanted.
With no new taxes, a fiscally lean state budget was passed leaving $6
billion in a rainy day fund even as other states around the country
struggled to balance budgets and avoid more deficit borrowing. A voter ID
bill passed that was designed to prevent ballot box fraud and illegal
voting. A bill passed that makes plaintiffs pay court costs and attorney
fees if their suits are deemed frivolous.
Perry scored points even in his legislative failures. He failed to get
sanctuary cities banned - Texas towns in which police cannot question
detainees about their immigration status. The blame fell on the legislature.
Perry also failed to get a so-called "anti-groping" bill passed that would
put Transportation Security Administration agents in prison if they touch
the genitals, anus, or breasts of passengers in a pat down. Federal
officials threatened to halt all flights out of Texas airports and the bill
died in special session. That endeared Texans even more to TSA employees
living in Texas .
Perry jogs daily in the morning. He has no bodyguard with him, but his
daughter's dog runs by his side and he carries a laser-guided automatic
pistol in his belt. Last year while jogging in an undeveloped area, a coyote
paralleled his jogging route, eyeing his dog. He drew his pistol and killed
the animal with one shot, leaving it where it fell. "He became mulch," Perry
said. Animal rights groups protested, but Perry shrugged it off. "Don't come
after my dog," he warned them.
Recently, Obama asked Perry to delay the July 7 execution of Humberto Leal
in order to comply with the International Court of Justice in The Hague and
the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations. Perry refused. Therefore Obama
asked the US Supreme Court to delay the execution because it would damage US
foreign relations. The Court refused 5-4 and Perry ordered the execution to
go forward as scheduled. Over the howls of diplomats, politicians, and the
UN, Leal was administered a lethal injection at 6:20 p.m. Before he died, he
admitted his guilt and asked for forgiveness.
The case has special implications for Perry, who is considering a run for
the presidency in 2012. Even his critics resent federal interference in a
Texas execution, which is related to a state, not a federal, crime - an
alcohol and drug-fueled rape and murder 17 years ago by an illegal whose
family brought him into the country 35 years ago as a child. The
interference hinges not on the man's guilt, which Leal's advocates
acknowledged, but on a technicality - failure to inform Leal that he could
have gotten legal representation from the Mexican consulate in lieu of the
court-appointed attorneys who represented him. Independent Texans saw
Obama's interference as another intrusion of federal power into the affairs
of a state, which could cost Obama support in other states.
Needless to say, Perry is a hard-edged conservative and a ferocious defender
of 10th Amendments rights ("The powers not delegated to the United States by
the Constitution, nor prohibited by it to the States, are reserved to the
States respectively, or to the people.") - an explicit restriction of the
federal government to only those powers granted in the Constitution. Perry
accuses the federal government, especially the Obama administration, of
illegal overreach.
Perry said "no thanks" to the feds whose stimulus offered taxpayer dollars
for education and unemployment assistance. The strings on "free money" from
Washington , he said, would restrict Texas in managing its own affairs.
Perry even depleted all state funds to fight recent wildfires before asking
Washington for disaster relief. His request has been ignored, which comes
across as an unvarnished federal power play, further pitting Perry and
Texans against the federal government.
It's little surprise, then, that 31% of Texans prefer Perry, who hasn't
announced for the presidency, versus 15% who prefer Romney and 11% who like
Bachmann. This is consistent with a Fox poll which put Romney at 18% with
national Republicans, Perry at 13%, and Bachmann at 11%. A Marist poll had
Romney leading with 19% but Perry and Giuliani, neither of whom has
announced, are tied for second at 13%. Perry is the favorite among Tea Party
voters, beating Palin, also unannounced, and Bachmann. For a guy who is not
officially running, Perry has more than an insignificant following compared
with the announced candidates.
But none of the candidates - announced and unannounced - has caught fire.
It's still early in the 2012 election cycle, and polling results this far
out border on meaninglessness. Yet I would have expected Romney to have a
greater lead, given his money and name recognition, unless he is being
perceived by voters as a nomination retread, now haunted by the
Massachusetts experiment that Obama claims inspired his unpopular remaking
of the national healthcare system. His business and economic expertise
towers over Obama's, but I suspect it would be easier for him to be elected
than nominated. Palin has a fan base rather than a constituency ready to
hand another rookie the keys to the White House. Bachmann, recently insulted
by Chris Matthews in an interview asking if she was a "flake" because of her
bizarre statements, might keep in mind that James Garfield was the only
House member to be elected President - and that was over 130 years ago. Ryan
may have recalled that fact when he declined to run.
But Perry is not without his negatives. French cuffs and cowboy boots
adorned with the words "Freedom" and " Liberty " bespeak a self-assuredness
that wears well in Texas and even in the south and southwest, but will it
work in Philadelphia , New Hampshire , and Ohio ?
Perry is ruggedly handsome - a modern Marlboro kind of man - whom the late
Texan and liberal columnist, Molly Ivins, called "Governor Goodhair." His
high octane rhetoric is unmistakably conservative. Speaking to the
Republican Leadership Conference in New Orleans last month, he pumped the
air with both fists as he strode to the podium. "Whew!' he cried repeatedly.
"Yeah!" He was like an excited race horse being shoved into a starting gate.
I stand before you today a disciplined conservative Texan -- a committed
Republican and a proud American -- united with you in the desire to restore
our nation and revive the American dream.
Our party cannot be all things to all people. It can't be. And our loudest
opponents on the left are never gonna' like us so let's quit trying to curry
favor with 'em! . Let's speak with pride about our morals and our values and
redouble our effort to elect more conservative Republicans. Let's stop this
American downward spiral! .
This administration in Washington that's in power now clearly believes that
government is not only the answer to every need, but it's the most qualified
to make essential decisions for every American in every area. That mix of
arrogance and audacity that guides the Obama administration is an affront to
every freedom-loving American and a threat to every private sector job in
this country.
He left the podium and stage as he had mounted it: pumping his fists,
shouting "Yeah!" and "Whew!" as if he were returning to his corner after
Round 1 of a prize fight.
It's hard to imagine the cautiously moderate Romney, the bland
somnambulistic Pawlenty, or even the outspoken and misspoken Bachmann
delivering that performance. Yet, what a contrast Perry is to the
pontifical, condescending Obama speaking style, his head robotically
swiveling from side to side, nose unconsciously elevated. I suspect even the
leading GOP candidates wish they had Perry's "negatives."
Perry's speech was a tea partier's delight. The almost cocky swagger. The
Texas accent. But I wonder how it would sell to political independents -
those more pragmatic than ideological?
Sweeping these concerns aside, Perry's biggest challenge may be overcoming
the fact that he is "another" Texas governor seeking the White House. After
four years of Obama, Bush fatigue may have attenuated. But by how much? For
those in the center - the ones who will decide the next election - the
choice will be between four more years of someone they know (which they
didn't four years ago) versus someone who reminds them of someone they know
(Bush) and wish they didn't.
Beyond the Texas Governor's mansion, the accent, and the swagger, however,
the similarity ends. Their differences have been no small source of friction
between the Bush and Perry camps.
A 2007 YouTube, for example, showed Perry at a fundraiser saying, "George
Bush was never a fiscal conservative - never was," going on to say, "I mean,
'95, '97, '99, George Bush (while he was Texas Governor) was spending
money." The video came to the attention of Bush aides and they were not
happy with Perry's criticisms of their man.
Then after initially embracing Bush's "No Child Left Behind" law, Perry
turned against it, calling it "a monstrous intrusion into our (i.e. the
Texas education system) affairs" in an interview. His 10th Amendment
fire-breathing can't be contained.
When Perry ran for his third gubernatorial election, the Bush family and
political team retaliated by backing Perry's Republican opponent, Sen. Kay
Bailey Hutchinson, providing her campaign with fundraising and
organizational support. Perry won the primary and went on to win in the
general election by a sizable margin, no doubt giving him cause to gloat and
giving the Bush camp cause to mope.
The relationship between Perry and Bush continues to be frosty. But it would
be foolish for Perry to provoke the Bush family into working against him if
he chooses to run for President. And it would also be petty of the Bush
family to deny that politics requires a candidate to show that he is his own
man, not a clone of his former boss. Gore ran against Clinton in 2000, and
if Perry runs, he will have to show his independence of Bush if he is to
have any hope of shedding the "Oh no, not another Texas Governor" image.
Bush ran as a "compassionate conservative," probably a euphemism for the
liberalism of his rich family, which is what caused Reagan to balance his
conservative ticket with running mate George H. W. Bush. Perry will have to
show that he intends to reverse the reckless spending of the Bush-Obama
years.
Bush ran as a "uniter, not a divider." Perry will have to show that he
intends to be an unmistakable contrast to everything Obama stands for and
will undo the Obama program, even as Clinton undid the Reagan legacy and
Obama undid the Bush programs, complaining all the while that Bush was
responsible for everything that was wrong with America .
Perry has not yet said he is in the race. Time is running out for him to do
so. But should Obama be concerned if Perry runs? Absolutely. Obama cannot
run on his record - an unpopular healthcare law, a failed stimulus,
unprecedented spending and debt, a jobless "recovery" and the threat of a
double-dip recession, not to mention a foreign policy he can't explain and
his undeclared war on Libya . Obama's record is a disaster. Perry by
contrast produced in Texas an oasis of prosperity in a sea of misery during
the Obama years.
Not being able to defend his own economic record, or attack Perry's, Obama
might try to paint Perry as a representative of the far right. That wouldn't
be easy. Perry served three terms in the Texas House as a Democrat, and
supported Al Gore's 1988 presidential bid. That was when there were still
some conservative Democrats. Perry switched to the Republican Party in 1989
when the Democrat Party began moving left.
Obama might attack Perry's ideological extremism. But Perry could remind
voters that Reagan was initially painted as a conservative extremist, until
Reagan's folksy "Now there you go again" confidence showed Americans that
the extremist was in the White House. Reagan's proof was the economic chaos
Carter had wrought ("Are you better off now than you were four years ago?")
and the foreign policy catastrophes his policies produced in Iran , whose
hostage crisis was nearing 400 days.
Unlike Perry, Obama is all hat and no cattle. There is no Obama thrust that
Perry can't parry if he keeps his good humor and enthusiasm and reminds
Americans that, yes, his flaws are large - until you compare them with
Obama's.
My goal in life is to be as good a person as my dog already thinks I
am........
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
Tuesday, August 16, 2011
Sunday, August 14, 2011
WOMEN OF THE BIBLE RHODA - from Bible Gateway
Rhoda
The Woman Who Was Called Mad
Scripture Reference - Acts 12:1-19
Name Meaning - Foreign born, this domestic servant of Mary the mother of Mark had a Greek name meaning "rose." Wilkinson remarks that as "Barnabas, Mary's brother, was of the country of Cyprus, it is a very reasonable supposition that the family had been resident there, and brought thence this maiden, who, like so many of her nation born in foreign parts, had received a Greek name." Although she carried one of the most beautiful names she was called by another not so pleasant. The saints in Mary's home called her Manias meaning, "a mad woman."
In the human episode in which Rhoda is the prominent character, nothing is said of pedigree. As a slave-maid she did not merit any genealogy. As a servant, she had no hours. The fact that it was long past midnight when Peter reached Mary's house, and that Rhoda the portress answered the door, indicates that she was willing to serve long and late. Mary, her mistress, also found in Rhoda a spiritual help. Doubtless she, too, was on her knees with the others praying for Peter, and hearing his knock went to the door. Perhaps we can break up the narrative in this threefold way. Peter knocked - Rhoda was shocked - The saints mocked.
Peter Knocked
The background of the record which Rhoda shares can be briefly cited. Mary of Jerusalem, a rich widow and mother of Mark the evangelist, owned a large and conspicuous house in the city which she placed at the service of the Lord. During the days of terrible persecution the saints in Jerusalem gathered regularly in her lovely home not only for the reading and exposition of the Word, but also to pray for afflicted saints. On the night in question the saints concentrated on the deliverance of a precious life, namely, Peter their leader. Herod's sword of persecution had fallen heavily upon the church in Jerusalem. James the Greater had already drunk the cup of martyrdom prophesied for him by his Lord, and the gathered intercessors had learned that Peter, imprisoned by Herod, was the next to be led forth to die. If their shepherd was smitten what could the sheep do. Such a crisis brought Peter's fellow believers to their knees in night-long intercession.
As the church in the house earnestly petitioned the Lord, their prayers were heard. In the prison the Lord, by means of an angel, miraculously freed Peter. Peter sped past guards and through opened doors, and came to the closed door of a house where he knew the saints were gathered together praying. Peter knocked at the door, but because of Rhoda's excitement, she failed to open the door. Peter continued knocking until the door was opened, not by angelic hands, as at the prison he had left, but by unbelieving human hands. Such a delay might have been dangerous, if the guards, discovering their prisoner had escaped, had tracked him down and found him standing at the closed gate of Mary's ancient house.
Rhoda Was Shocked
Peter not only knocked but also spoke, for we read that she knew his voice - the dear voice she had listened to so often expounding the sacred truths of the Word. But she was so stunned and overwhelmed at the answer to those midnight prayers standing there, that she failed to draw the bolts and admit Peter. "She opened not the gate for gladness." Such gladness would have been changed to sadness had Herod's soldiers appeared at that moment and taken Peter back to prison. We can understand Rhoda not opening the gate as soon as she heard the knock. "Never open a door in the dark until you know who is behind it." In those days when the saints were not sure who would be the next to join the noble army of martyrs, great caution was necessary. That knock might have been the summons of cruel Herod, making a fresh inroad on the little flock. But when Rhoda asked, "Who is knocking?" and received the muffled reply, "It is Peter, open quickly," she should have opened the gate before opening her mouth to others in the house about Peter standing outside. Knowing that for certain it was Peter, it was her duty as the maid to open the door. But stunned by the glad tidings she was momentarily thoughtless.
There are some characteristics of this maidservant who only has this one notice in Scripture, which are attractive. First, unbounded joy was hers. Luke, the beloved physician, who wrote the Acts, analyzes Rhoda's state of consciousness when the good news of answered prayer on Peter's behalf overpowered her presence of mind. She forgot herself - and her duty - and ran in to tell the intercessors to pray no more for Peter was at the gate. We can imagine how excitedly she shouted, "Peter is free! Peter is knocking at the door!" A spontaneous child of nature, she manifested her exuberance. Had hers been a calmer, less passionate nature, she would have opened the door when she knew it was Peter, and then gone in to tell the praying band that Peter was safe and free.
Further, when her good, glad information was scorned by the saints whose prayers for Peter had been interrupted by Rhoda's joyous outburst, "she constantly affirmed that it was even so." Her young heart believed in God and in the power of prayer, and knowing definitely that prayer had been answered, she would not suffer the praying band in the house of her mistress to browbeat her into silence. Although only the maid, she was not to be subdued by the sarcastic criticism of the large congregation present. She knew it was Peter, and nothing could move her from that belief. Rhoda wore the red rose of courage so beautifully as she persisted against opposition to constantly affirm the truth.
The Saints Mocked
How revealing was the reaction of those gathered together to Rhoda's excited announcement. First of all, they told the glad maid that she was mad . They accused her of insanity! But Rhoda was in good company because it had been said of the Saviour whom she had come to know and love, "He is beside Himself." Then, when Paul's eye kindled with the glory of his message, just as the face of Rhoda glowed as she told of answered prayer, Festus said of the Apostle, "Thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad." The prophet speaks about the spiritual man being mad (Hosea 9:7 ). Have we ever been thought mad for Christ, or fools for His sake? We are in the best of company if others sneer at us as we declare and live the message of God's power through Christ. But being told she had lost her senses did not deter Rhoda from the repetition of what she knew to be true.
Departing from their accusation, the band said, "It is his angel." Failing to move Rhoda from her persistent testimony, the saints treated her message as coming from the dead. It was a common Jewish belief that every true Israelite had a guardian angel especially assigned to him, who, when he appeared in human form, assumed the likeness of the man whom he protected. The continued knocking of Peter, however, stifled that interpretation of Rhoda's testimony because guardian angels are not prevented from carrying out their mission by closed doors. So, feeling that there was something insistently human about that constant knocking "they opened the door, saw Peter, and were astonished."
Astonished! How this description of their feelings revealed their unbelief! They had been praying for hours for Peter, yet when Peter stood at the door they did not believe it. Lack of faith was mingled with their intercessions, and so they were surprised at the miracle God had performed in Peter's escape from prison. Our Lord instructed His disciples to pray believingly. "When ye ask, believe that ye receive." Spurgeon once said, "If the Lord wants to surprise His people, He has only at once to give them an answer. No sooner do they receive an answer than they say, 'Who would have thought it?'" Mary of Jerusalem came to value her godly maid, Rhoda, more than ever because of the great assistance she had rendered that memorable day. And once in the house, Peter must have commended her for her persistence
The Woman Who Was Called Mad
Scripture Reference - Acts 12:1-19
Name Meaning - Foreign born, this domestic servant of Mary the mother of Mark had a Greek name meaning "rose." Wilkinson remarks that as "Barnabas, Mary's brother, was of the country of Cyprus, it is a very reasonable supposition that the family had been resident there, and brought thence this maiden, who, like so many of her nation born in foreign parts, had received a Greek name." Although she carried one of the most beautiful names she was called by another not so pleasant. The saints in Mary's home called her Manias meaning, "a mad woman."
In the human episode in which Rhoda is the prominent character, nothing is said of pedigree. As a slave-maid she did not merit any genealogy. As a servant, she had no hours. The fact that it was long past midnight when Peter reached Mary's house, and that Rhoda the portress answered the door, indicates that she was willing to serve long and late. Mary, her mistress, also found in Rhoda a spiritual help. Doubtless she, too, was on her knees with the others praying for Peter, and hearing his knock went to the door. Perhaps we can break up the narrative in this threefold way. Peter knocked - Rhoda was shocked - The saints mocked.
Peter Knocked
The background of the record which Rhoda shares can be briefly cited. Mary of Jerusalem, a rich widow and mother of Mark the evangelist, owned a large and conspicuous house in the city which she placed at the service of the Lord. During the days of terrible persecution the saints in Jerusalem gathered regularly in her lovely home not only for the reading and exposition of the Word, but also to pray for afflicted saints. On the night in question the saints concentrated on the deliverance of a precious life, namely, Peter their leader. Herod's sword of persecution had fallen heavily upon the church in Jerusalem. James the Greater had already drunk the cup of martyrdom prophesied for him by his Lord, and the gathered intercessors had learned that Peter, imprisoned by Herod, was the next to be led forth to die. If their shepherd was smitten what could the sheep do. Such a crisis brought Peter's fellow believers to their knees in night-long intercession.
As the church in the house earnestly petitioned the Lord, their prayers were heard. In the prison the Lord, by means of an angel, miraculously freed Peter. Peter sped past guards and through opened doors, and came to the closed door of a house where he knew the saints were gathered together praying. Peter knocked at the door, but because of Rhoda's excitement, she failed to open the door. Peter continued knocking until the door was opened, not by angelic hands, as at the prison he had left, but by unbelieving human hands. Such a delay might have been dangerous, if the guards, discovering their prisoner had escaped, had tracked him down and found him standing at the closed gate of Mary's ancient house.
Rhoda Was Shocked
Peter not only knocked but also spoke, for we read that she knew his voice - the dear voice she had listened to so often expounding the sacred truths of the Word. But she was so stunned and overwhelmed at the answer to those midnight prayers standing there, that she failed to draw the bolts and admit Peter. "She opened not the gate for gladness." Such gladness would have been changed to sadness had Herod's soldiers appeared at that moment and taken Peter back to prison. We can understand Rhoda not opening the gate as soon as she heard the knock. "Never open a door in the dark until you know who is behind it." In those days when the saints were not sure who would be the next to join the noble army of martyrs, great caution was necessary. That knock might have been the summons of cruel Herod, making a fresh inroad on the little flock. But when Rhoda asked, "Who is knocking?" and received the muffled reply, "It is Peter, open quickly," she should have opened the gate before opening her mouth to others in the house about Peter standing outside. Knowing that for certain it was Peter, it was her duty as the maid to open the door. But stunned by the glad tidings she was momentarily thoughtless.
There are some characteristics of this maidservant who only has this one notice in Scripture, which are attractive. First, unbounded joy was hers. Luke, the beloved physician, who wrote the Acts, analyzes Rhoda's state of consciousness when the good news of answered prayer on Peter's behalf overpowered her presence of mind. She forgot herself - and her duty - and ran in to tell the intercessors to pray no more for Peter was at the gate. We can imagine how excitedly she shouted, "Peter is free! Peter is knocking at the door!" A spontaneous child of nature, she manifested her exuberance. Had hers been a calmer, less passionate nature, she would have opened the door when she knew it was Peter, and then gone in to tell the praying band that Peter was safe and free.
Further, when her good, glad information was scorned by the saints whose prayers for Peter had been interrupted by Rhoda's joyous outburst, "she constantly affirmed that it was even so." Her young heart believed in God and in the power of prayer, and knowing definitely that prayer had been answered, she would not suffer the praying band in the house of her mistress to browbeat her into silence. Although only the maid, she was not to be subdued by the sarcastic criticism of the large congregation present. She knew it was Peter, and nothing could move her from that belief. Rhoda wore the red rose of courage so beautifully as she persisted against opposition to constantly affirm the truth.
The Saints Mocked
How revealing was the reaction of those gathered together to Rhoda's excited announcement. First of all, they told the glad maid that she was mad . They accused her of insanity! But Rhoda was in good company because it had been said of the Saviour whom she had come to know and love, "He is beside Himself." Then, when Paul's eye kindled with the glory of his message, just as the face of Rhoda glowed as she told of answered prayer, Festus said of the Apostle, "Thou art beside thyself, much learning doth make thee mad." The prophet speaks about the spiritual man being mad (Hosea 9:7 ). Have we ever been thought mad for Christ, or fools for His sake? We are in the best of company if others sneer at us as we declare and live the message of God's power through Christ. But being told she had lost her senses did not deter Rhoda from the repetition of what she knew to be true.
Departing from their accusation, the band said, "It is his angel." Failing to move Rhoda from her persistent testimony, the saints treated her message as coming from the dead. It was a common Jewish belief that every true Israelite had a guardian angel especially assigned to him, who, when he appeared in human form, assumed the likeness of the man whom he protected. The continued knocking of Peter, however, stifled that interpretation of Rhoda's testimony because guardian angels are not prevented from carrying out their mission by closed doors. So, feeling that there was something insistently human about that constant knocking "they opened the door, saw Peter, and were astonished."
Astonished! How this description of their feelings revealed their unbelief! They had been praying for hours for Peter, yet when Peter stood at the door they did not believe it. Lack of faith was mingled with their intercessions, and so they were surprised at the miracle God had performed in Peter's escape from prison. Our Lord instructed His disciples to pray believingly. "When ye ask, believe that ye receive." Spurgeon once said, "If the Lord wants to surprise His people, He has only at once to give them an answer. No sooner do they receive an answer than they say, 'Who would have thought it?'" Mary of Jerusalem came to value her godly maid, Rhoda, more than ever because of the great assistance she had rendered that memorable day. And once in the house, Peter must have commended her for her persistence
Saturday, August 13, 2011
MEN OF THE BIBLE - LEVI from Bible Gateway
Levi
[Lē'vī] - joined or adhesion.
1. Another name for Matthew, the one-time Roman tax-gatherer (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27, 29). See MATTHEW.
2. An ancestor of Jesus Christ(Luke 3:24).
3. Another ancestor of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:29).
4. The third son of Jacob by Leah. Levi had three sons, and died in Egypt at the age of 137 (Gen. 29:34; 46:11; Exod. 6:16). His descendants, the Levites, had care of the sanctuary. The Book of Leviticus describes their ministry.
The Man of Isolation
Isolation is a feature in the history of Levi, quite as much as it characterizes Simeon, with whom he is paired. The capacity to stand alone made Simeon and Levi conspicuous among their brethren in their attack upon the Shechemites, and proved a valuable instrument for the work of the Lord. The tribe of Levi was fitted by the discipline of trial to discharge a most important duty in Israel - a duty which made Levi second in importance to none but Judah, whose forerunner and counterpart he was formed to be. Levi stands before Judah in the prophecies of Jacob - Judah before Levi in the blessings of Moses, the man of God.
"The true Levites," says Dr. C. H. Waller, "are the men who have been made lonely among their brethren that they may live alone with Jehovah, and so dwell as the families of others that they may unite them to the family of God."
Levi came under the ban of Jacob, who, in his prophecy set Simeon and Levi under a "curse." To the patriarch they were bad brothers.
Dr. Dinsdale Young has a telling chapter on Simeon and Levi in which he elaborates on these features:
I. They constituted an unholy brotherhood - they had a common disposition (Gen. 49:5).
II. They had unhallowed belongings ( Gen. 49:5) - sinful homes and perverted instruments.
III. They drew from their father a heart-felt prayer (Gen. 49:6). Reviewing their sinful courses, the dying father prays for them.
IV. Their father uttered a righteous imprecation upon their sin. Jacob did not curse them, but their sin (Gen. 49:7).
V. A just judgment was pronounced upon them, "I will divide them" (Gen. 49:7 ). Though divided and scattered, they were not cut off from the promised land. Theirs was not the abundant entrance of others, yet they were privileged to enter.
[Lē'vī] - joined or adhesion.
1. Another name for Matthew, the one-time Roman tax-gatherer (Mark 2:14; Luke 5:27, 29). See MATTHEW.
2. An ancestor of Jesus Christ(Luke 3:24).
3. Another ancestor of Jesus Christ (Luke 3:29).
4. The third son of Jacob by Leah. Levi had three sons, and died in Egypt at the age of 137 (Gen. 29:34; 46:11; Exod. 6:16). His descendants, the Levites, had care of the sanctuary. The Book of Leviticus describes their ministry.
The Man of Isolation
Isolation is a feature in the history of Levi, quite as much as it characterizes Simeon, with whom he is paired. The capacity to stand alone made Simeon and Levi conspicuous among their brethren in their attack upon the Shechemites, and proved a valuable instrument for the work of the Lord. The tribe of Levi was fitted by the discipline of trial to discharge a most important duty in Israel - a duty which made Levi second in importance to none but Judah, whose forerunner and counterpart he was formed to be. Levi stands before Judah in the prophecies of Jacob - Judah before Levi in the blessings of Moses, the man of God.
"The true Levites," says Dr. C. H. Waller, "are the men who have been made lonely among their brethren that they may live alone with Jehovah, and so dwell as the families of others that they may unite them to the family of God."
Levi came under the ban of Jacob, who, in his prophecy set Simeon and Levi under a "curse." To the patriarch they were bad brothers.
Dr. Dinsdale Young has a telling chapter on Simeon and Levi in which he elaborates on these features:
I. They constituted an unholy brotherhood - they had a common disposition (Gen. 49:5).
II. They had unhallowed belongings ( Gen. 49:5) - sinful homes and perverted instruments.
III. They drew from their father a heart-felt prayer (Gen. 49:6). Reviewing their sinful courses, the dying father prays for them.
IV. Their father uttered a righteous imprecation upon their sin. Jacob did not curse them, but their sin (Gen. 49:7).
V. A just judgment was pronounced upon them, "I will divide them" (Gen. 49:7 ). Though divided and scattered, they were not cut off from the promised land. Theirs was not the abundant entrance of others, yet they were privileged to enter.
Friday, August 12, 2011
Letter to attorney general Eric Holder (From Orly Taitz)
Letter to attorney general Eric Holder (From Orly Taitz)
December 14, 2009 | Orly Taitz
Posted on Tue Dec 15 2009 18:15:04 GMT-0700 (Mountain Standard Time) by Man50D
Law Offices of Dr. Orly Taitz ESQ
29839 Santa Margarita parkway ste 100
Rancho Santa Margarita CA 92688
Phone 949-683-5411 Fax 949-766-7603
12.14.09.
Via Certified Mail
Attn Mr. Eric Holder
United States Attorney General
950 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20530-0001 USA
Dear Mr. Holder,
On March 1st on behalf of my clients I have submitted to you a request to file Quo Warranto against Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. The request was filed due to following troubling facts:
1. According to a number of licensed investigators National Databases show Mr. Obama using as many as 39 different Social Security numbers, which included the numbers of deceased individuals and numbers never assigned.
2. Number 042-68-4425 that Mr. Obama used for most of his life and is currently using while residing in the White House, is a number assigned to an individual born in 1890, who resided in the state of Connecticut and this Social Security number was issued in the state of Connecticut where Mr. Obama never resided.
3. One of the leading forensic experts in the country Ms. Sandra Ramsey Lines has prepared an affidavit, stating that Mr. Obama’s short version Certification of Life Birth cannot be treated as genuine without seeing the original on file in the Health Department in HI.
4. The state of Hawaii since 1911 had in its statutes a provision allowing Foreign born children of Hawaiian residents of get Hawaiian Birth Certificates(currently statute 338-17) and currently statute 338-5 allows one to get a birth certificate based on a statement of one relative only without any corroborating evidence from the hospital.
5. In spite of over 100 law suits filed around the country and 12 Citizen Grand Jury indictments Mr. Obama refused to sign a consent to unseal his original birth certificate currently sealed in the Health Department of the state of Hawaii and all the other vital records.
6. Ms. Chiuomi Fukino, Director of the Health Department of the State of Hawaii has provided a statement that there is a document on file in Hawaii, however she refused to provide any information, as to what document is on file: whether it is a Birth Certificate given to a foreign born child of Hawaiian resident, whether it is an amended Birth certificate, obtained when Mr. Obama was adopted by his Indonesian stepfather. She refused to answer any questions as to whether his birth certificate was obtained based on a proper hospital birth certificate or based on a statement of one of his relatives only, which needs to be corroborated.
7. Regardless of place of birth of Mr. Obama, since birth and until now Mr. Obama had a split allegiance. He had British citizenship at birth, Kenyan since age 2 and Indonesian since age 5. Allegiance to other Nations goes as a clear violation of the Natural citizenship clause of the article 2 section 1 of the Constitution.
8. Under the Freedom of Information act 5 US 552, since no response was provided to numerous certified mail letters received by your office nine months ago, I demand a written response or Administrative hearing on the matter within 30 days. On behalf of my clients I demand an answer, as to when the Quo Warranto against Mr. Obama will be filed by the US Attorney General office, or in the alternative if the Attorney General office refuses to file Quo Warranto, I demand an ex-relator status for my clients to proceed with the Quo Warranto action against Mr. Obama in the DC court or the Supreme Court of the United States.
Dr. Orly Taitz ESQ
Counsel to the plaintiffs-ex relators.
Attachment
Quo Warranto request, Dossiers
December 14, 2009 | Orly Taitz
Posted on Tue Dec 15 2009 18:15:04 GMT-0700 (Mountain Standard Time) by Man50D
Law Offices of Dr. Orly Taitz ESQ
29839 Santa Margarita parkway ste 100
Rancho Santa Margarita CA 92688
Phone 949-683-5411 Fax 949-766-7603
12.14.09.
Via Certified Mail
Attn Mr. Eric Holder
United States Attorney General
950 Pennsylvania Ave NW
Washington DC 20530-0001 USA
Dear Mr. Holder,
On March 1st on behalf of my clients I have submitted to you a request to file Quo Warranto against Mr. Barack Hussein Obama. The request was filed due to following troubling facts:
1. According to a number of licensed investigators National Databases show Mr. Obama using as many as 39 different Social Security numbers, which included the numbers of deceased individuals and numbers never assigned.
2. Number 042-68-4425 that Mr. Obama used for most of his life and is currently using while residing in the White House, is a number assigned to an individual born in 1890, who resided in the state of Connecticut and this Social Security number was issued in the state of Connecticut where Mr. Obama never resided.
3. One of the leading forensic experts in the country Ms. Sandra Ramsey Lines has prepared an affidavit, stating that Mr. Obama’s short version Certification of Life Birth cannot be treated as genuine without seeing the original on file in the Health Department in HI.
4. The state of Hawaii since 1911 had in its statutes a provision allowing Foreign born children of Hawaiian residents of get Hawaiian Birth Certificates(currently statute 338-17) and currently statute 338-5 allows one to get a birth certificate based on a statement of one relative only without any corroborating evidence from the hospital.
5. In spite of over 100 law suits filed around the country and 12 Citizen Grand Jury indictments Mr. Obama refused to sign a consent to unseal his original birth certificate currently sealed in the Health Department of the state of Hawaii and all the other vital records.
6. Ms. Chiuomi Fukino, Director of the Health Department of the State of Hawaii has provided a statement that there is a document on file in Hawaii, however she refused to provide any information, as to what document is on file: whether it is a Birth Certificate given to a foreign born child of Hawaiian resident, whether it is an amended Birth certificate, obtained when Mr. Obama was adopted by his Indonesian stepfather. She refused to answer any questions as to whether his birth certificate was obtained based on a proper hospital birth certificate or based on a statement of one of his relatives only, which needs to be corroborated.
7. Regardless of place of birth of Mr. Obama, since birth and until now Mr. Obama had a split allegiance. He had British citizenship at birth, Kenyan since age 2 and Indonesian since age 5. Allegiance to other Nations goes as a clear violation of the Natural citizenship clause of the article 2 section 1 of the Constitution.
8. Under the Freedom of Information act 5 US 552, since no response was provided to numerous certified mail letters received by your office nine months ago, I demand a written response or Administrative hearing on the matter within 30 days. On behalf of my clients I demand an answer, as to when the Quo Warranto against Mr. Obama will be filed by the US Attorney General office, or in the alternative if the Attorney General office refuses to file Quo Warranto, I demand an ex-relator status for my clients to proceed with the Quo Warranto action against Mr. Obama in the DC court or the Supreme Court of the United States.
Dr. Orly Taitz ESQ
Counsel to the plaintiffs-ex relators.
Attachment
Quo Warranto request, Dossiers
Thursday, August 11, 2011
OBAMA: ‘Islam has always been part of our American family’
This type of rhetoric is why BO has an 80% approval rating in the Muslim Community, and is going to cause some major problems in the near future in my opinion!!!
OBAMA: ‘Islam has always been part of our American family’
August 11, 2011
362Share
Here is some of President Obama’s remarks during Wednesday’s Iftar dinner at theWhite House:
“Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the White House. Tonight is part of a rich tradition here at the White House of celebrating the holy days of many faiths and the diversity that define us as a nation. So these are quintessentially American celebrations — people of different faiths coming together, with humility before our maker, to reaffirm our obligations to one another, because no matter who we are, or how we pray, we’re all children of a loving God.
“This evening reminds us of both the timeless teachings of a great religion and the enduring strengths of a great nation. Like so many faiths, Islam has always been part of our American family, and Muslim Americans have long contributed to the strength and character of our country, in all walks of life. This has been especially true over the past 10 years.
“In one month, we will mark the 10th anniversary of those awful attacks that brought so much pain to our hearts. It will be a time to honor all those that we’ve lost, the families who carry on their legacy, the heroes who rushed to help that day and all who have served to keep us safe during a difficult decade. And tonight, it’s worth remembering that these Americans were of many faiths and backgrounds, including proud and patriotic Muslim Americans.
“Muslim Americans were innocent passengers on those planes, including a young married couple looking forward to the birth of their first child. They were workers in the Twin Towers — Americans by birth and Americans by choice, immigrants who crossed the oceans to give their children a better life. They were cooks and waiters, but also analysts and executives.
OBAMA: ‘Islam has always been part of our American family’
August 11, 2011
362Share
Here is some of President Obama’s remarks during Wednesday’s Iftar dinner at theWhite House:
“Good evening, everyone, and welcome to the White House. Tonight is part of a rich tradition here at the White House of celebrating the holy days of many faiths and the diversity that define us as a nation. So these are quintessentially American celebrations — people of different faiths coming together, with humility before our maker, to reaffirm our obligations to one another, because no matter who we are, or how we pray, we’re all children of a loving God.
“This evening reminds us of both the timeless teachings of a great religion and the enduring strengths of a great nation. Like so many faiths, Islam has always been part of our American family, and Muslim Americans have long contributed to the strength and character of our country, in all walks of life. This has been especially true over the past 10 years.
“In one month, we will mark the 10th anniversary of those awful attacks that brought so much pain to our hearts. It will be a time to honor all those that we’ve lost, the families who carry on their legacy, the heroes who rushed to help that day and all who have served to keep us safe during a difficult decade. And tonight, it’s worth remembering that these Americans were of many faiths and backgrounds, including proud and patriotic Muslim Americans.
“Muslim Americans were innocent passengers on those planes, including a young married couple looking forward to the birth of their first child. They were workers in the Twin Towers — Americans by birth and Americans by choice, immigrants who crossed the oceans to give their children a better life. They were cooks and waiters, but also analysts and executives.
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